Four Indian sailors were killed in Russia’s July 19 strike on the cargo ship Golden Leo (IMO: 9181833) near the port of Odesa, India’s Foreign Ministry confirmed on July 21. The ministry summoned Russia’s chargé d’affaires, Vladimir Ladanov, over the attack.
Local media were the first to report the summons, with an official statement appearing on the ministry’s official website later.
“Today, the Russian Chargé d’Affaires, Mr. Vladimir Ladanov, was summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs. The Ministry conveyed India's grave concerns and unequivocal condemnation of the attack on the commercial vessel MV Golden Leo on 19 July 2026, which resulted in the tragic loss of four Indian lives,” the statement read.
The ministry said such attacks “undermine the safety, security, and stability of international maritime commerce.” Russia’s chargé d’affaires was asked to convey to Moscow that strikes on civilian vessels are “unacceptable and must be avoided.”
A day earlier, India’s Foreign Ministry issued a separate statement, which condemned strikes on civilian vessels without mentioning Moscow specifically. Russian authorities did not respond to that statement.
The Hindustan Times noted that this was the first known case of Indian sailors being killed during Russia’s war against Ukraine. India’s Foreign Ministry has previously summoned the ambassadors of the United States and Iran over attacks on civilian vessels and the deaths of sailors.
According to Bloomberg, more than 310,000 Indian sailors work on commercial ships worldwide. India is the world’s second-largest supplier of personnel for the global merchant fleet.
India officially maintains neutrality in Russia’s war against Ukraine. However, after the West imposed sanctions on Moscow, India, along with China, became one of the largest buyers of Russian oil. About 40% of India’s oil imports come from Russia.
The war in Ukraine has nevertheless created tensions between Moscow and New Delhi. Since 2022, several hundred Indian citizens have been deceptively recruited into the Russian armed forces, and dozens were killed. During negotiations, Indian authorities secured the discharge of most of their citizens from the Russian army.
