India has formally summoned Russia's Charge d'Affaires, Vladimir Ladanov, to register a strong diplomatic protest following a missile strike on the commercial vessel MV Golden Leo that resulted in the deaths of four Indian seafarers.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), India conveyed its grave concern and unequivocal condemnation of the attack, stressing that strikes on commercial shipping threaten the safety, security and stability of international maritime trade.

The ministry also urged the Russian side to communicate India's concerns to its authorities, stating that attacks on civilian commercial vessels and the resulting loss of innocent lives are unacceptable and must be avoided.The Guinea-Bissau-flagged MV Golden Leo was reportedly struck by Russian cruise missiles while departing the Ukrainian port of Odesa.The vessel was carrying a multinational crew, including Indian and Syrian nationals.The MEA said there were 17 crew members on board, five of whom were Indian citizens.The incident marks the first reported deaths of Indian seafarers since the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Responding to the incident, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia was in contact with India and maintained that Russian forces were targeting vessels allegedly involved in transporting ammunition and weapons intended for Ukraine.

The incident has added a humanitarian dimension to India's concerns over the ongoing conflict, highlighting the risks faced by civilian maritime workers operating in the region.

India has reiterated the importance of protecting commercial shipping and civilian lives while seeking accountability and assurances against similar incidents in the future.