On Oct. 9, a drone slammed into the Panama‑flagged crude tanker MT GEM NO. 2 while it was anchored in Sharjah’s Arabian Gulf waters, but all 22 Indian seafarers on board emerged unhurt.
The incident follows a spate of drone and missile strikes on commercial vessels in the Gulf and Black Sea, prompting India to push for stronger global maritime security.
Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, who posted the relief on X, said the government is monitoring the situation and has instructed the ship’s operator to safeguard the crew.
In a bid to curb such attacks, the Ministry of External Affairs launched the Group of Friends on Safety and Security of Shipping and Seafarers (GoF S4), which convened 25 countries in a New York meeting co‑chaired by Jaishankar and Liberian FM Sara Beysolow Nyanti.
India will hold a follow‑up summit in New York next month to deepen cooperation and develop joint protocols, officials said.