'Protect seafarers': PM flags sailors' safety at G7 Summit in Trump's presence

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday told a gathering of G7 leaders including US President Donald Trump that all countries must ensure that maritime routes remain secure and that seafarers can perform their duties without fear. He said this days after three Indian mariners were killed in a US military strike in the Gulf of Oman.

PM Modi, addressing an outreach session of the G7 summit, said India firmly believes lasting solutions to conflicts can only be found through dialogue, diplomacy and international cooperation.

PM Modi said disruptions to maritime trade in the Strait of Hormuz have harmed the global economy and that many Indian



citizens have lost their lives in the conflict. PM Modi's comments on underlining the importance of ensuring the safety of seafarers came against the backdrop of growing anger in India over the killing of the three Indian crew members in a US military attack on a merchant ship off the coast of Oman last week. 

“Shared my thoughts at the Outreach Session on ‘Forging New Partnerships and Rebuilding International Solidarity’ at the G7 Summit in Evian. In a world that is getting more interconnected and interdependent than ever before, this subject becomes all the more vital. But, partnerships can succeed only when they are founded on trust,” he said.