India summons Russian diplomat over death of four Indian seafarers in vessel attack off Ukraine coast

India on Tuesday summoned the seniormost Russian diplomat to convey an “unequivocal condemnation” of a Russian attack on a merchant vessel off the coast of Ukraine that killed 10 people, including four Indian crew members.Russian chargé d’affaires Vladimir Ladanov was summoned to the external affairs ministry in full public glare, with TV crews filming his arrival on Tuesday morning. This was the first instance of Indian seafarers being killed in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Ladanov was summoned as the Russian ambassador was away from New Delhi.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”, an official readout said.The Indian side emphasised to Ladanov that “such attacks undermine the safety, security, and stability of international maritime commerce”, the readout said.