Indian seafarers face significant dangers in global commercial shipping. These risks stem from complex international laws (multi-national jurisdictions), inadequate legal safeguards, and voyages through active conflict zones. Despite India's economic reliance on its large maritime workforce, the existing consular system, which is based on geographical territories, often fails to protect these seafarers during critical situations such as vessel attacks or crew abandonments.

Massive Workforce: India holds the second position globally, contributing over 12% of the world's maritime workforce. As of June 2025, there are 3.2 lakh Indian seafarers. (Data: 2026 Seafarer Workforce Report)

Challenges Faced by Indian Maritime Workers

Jurisdictional Complexity: A single maritime journey often involves multiple countries, including where the crew was recruited, the vessel's flag state, the company's headquarters, and the cargo's origin. This intricate chain of involvement makes it extremely challenging to identify who is legally accountable during a crisis.
Consular Blind Spots: Indian embassies and consulates operate strictly within their physical territories. Since seafarers are constantly moving across different international jurisdictions, it becomes difficult to track their whereabouts and provide timely consular support until an emergency actually arises.
Casualties in War Zones: Civilian crews are increasingly becoming unintended victims (collateral damage) in global conflicts. For instance, at least eight Indian seafarers are among the 14 Indians killed in West Asia conflicts since February 28.
High Abandonment Rates: Shipowners and the countries under whose flag a vessel sails (flag states) frequently avoid their financial and legal responsibilities. This resulted in the abandonment of 1,125 Indian seafarers in 2025, which was the highest number globally. (Data: International Transport Workers’ Federation)
Inadequate Protections: Current technology, such as vessel tracking applications, can only locate a ship but cannot ensure the safety of its crew. Moreover, existing bilateral maritime agreements primarily focus on increasing job opportunities but lack strong provisions for legal assistance or safe return (repatriation) for seafarers.

Government Measures

Recent Interventions: The government launched the 'Seafarer First' response, which includes a tracking dashboard and the appointment of dedicated liaison officers to assist families of affected crew members.
Proactive Restrictions: The Directorate General of Shipping has banned the placement of seafarers on 366 vessels that have a history of crew abandonments. Furthermore, recruitment agencies have been instructed not to deploy crews through the high-risk Strait of Hormuz.

Way Forward / Suggestions

Standing Consular Protocol: Establish a clear Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) that outlines the precise chain of command and actions to be taken from the moment a ship transmits a distress signal.
Dedicated Officers: Appoint specialized mission officers in key global shipping hubs. Their role would be to proactively develop relationships with port authorities, hospitals, and local legal professionals.
Global Coalitions: Collaborate with other major maritime labor-supplying nations, such as the Philippines and Indonesia. This partnership would aim to advocate for common international standards on seafarer repatriation and deployments in conflict zones at forums like the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO).
Right to Refuse: Legally empower seafarers with the right to refuse deployment into high-risk areas without facing any penalties or adverse consequences.
Right to Know: Implement penalties for domestic recruitment agencies that fail to disclose crucial vessel information to seafarers before a contract is signed. This includes details such as a vessel's blacklisted status, its true ownership, or the validity of its insurance.

Editorial Summary