India Condemns Attacks on Hormuz Strait Shipping at UN

India's ambassador to the United Nations expressed deep alarm on Thursday over attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, condemning the targeting of civilian vessels and urging swift restoration of safe navigation amid escalating conflict in the Middle East.

Ambassador Harish Parvathaneni delivered the remarks during a General Assembly debate under the Veto Initiative, focused on the situation in the region. The session followed a Security Council vote earlier this month, where Russia and China vetoed a Bahrain-sponsored resolution calling for Iran to halt attacks on shipping and ensure freedom of navigation. The veto prompted the Assembly meeting, where permanent members explained their positions, drawing criticism from the United States, Israel, and several Gulf states.

Parvathaneni highlighted the strait’s critical role in global energy trade, noting that it handles about 20 percent of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas shipments. For India, disruptions pose direct threats to its energy and economic security, as the waterway connects the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea. "An aspect of particular concern for India, for its energy and economic security,...