Sarbananda Sonowal Reviews Safety of Indian Seafarers Amid West Asia Tensions

New Delhi: Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal on Wednesday chaired a high-level review meeting with senior ministry officials to assess the safety and security of Indian seafarers amid the evolving geopolitical situation in West Asia and other regions.

In a post on social media, Sonowal said the Centre has consistently followed a "Seafarer First" approach, which has helped India become the world's second-largest supplier of seafarers since 2014.

The minister said the DGCOMM Centre is functioning round the clock to monitor distress alerts and coordinate rescue operations. He added that more than 4,000 stranded Indian seafarers have been safely brought back to the country during the ongoing crisis.

Sonowal also said the emergency response system has handled over 16,000 calls and 40,000 emails from seafarers and their families, ensuring timely assistance and support.

According to the minister, the Directorate General of Maritime Administration is providing repatriation support, medical assistance, counselling and maintaining regular communication with the families of affected seafarers.

He further said that under the SWFS Special High-Risk Area Scheme, the government is providing immediate financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh to the next of kin of seafarers who lose their lives while serving in high-risk areas.

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