By Hemang Palan 

Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi recently said, “It is well known that with industrialisation and urbanisation, large numbers of youth from rural and semi-rural areas of India find it aspirational to move to cities and work in globally connected industries.” And, his famous quote: “When the global seas are rough, the world looks for a steady lighthouse; India is well poised to play that role with strength and stability” continues to influence India’s young population residing in hinterlands to join merchant navy as there exists a consistent and high global demand for qualified and highly paid Indian seafarers who usually earn tax free remuneration.

India is a leading supplier to the global maritime industry, contributing roughly 12% to 14% of the world's seafarer workforce. The Indian government aims to increase this global share to 20% in the coming years. As of 2026, the population of active Indian seafarers has crossed 3 lakh, positioning India among the top three suppliers of trained seafarers globally.

Seafaring is unquestionably a vital profession on which the world relies and depends consistently. It is also one of the most challenging professions that require individuals to go to sea for months at a time where they work erratic hours in a highly regulated environment, often performing repetitive tasks and physical work sometimes in harsh and dangerous conditions with limited shore leave and almost nil contact for months together with friends or family members at home. Indian seafarers, who constitute a significant portion of the global maritime workforce, thus face a complex array of professional, physical, and legal challenges too. Suicide is a major cause of death among seafarers across nationalities globally, with recent data indicating it as the second most common cause of fatalities on board cargo ships, accounting for roughly 9% to 11% of deaths. Primarily driven by isolation, extended contracts, and mental health strains, 75% of these incidents involve young seafarers under 41.

According to the data compiled by the National Crime Research Bureau, the suicide rate in India stands at 12.4 per 100,000 persons per year presently, with about 32% of such unfortunate cases attributed to family reasons. Given that the shipping industry employs around 300,000 Indian seafarers, it is obvious and inevitable that the maritime sector too witness its share of self-harm incidents, similar to such grave challenges faced by other sectors too in India. Such untoward incidents aboard cargo vessels at deep seas involving natural or unnatural death of Indian seafarers, including suicides, thus lead to serious and challenging situations for India-based and Government of India’s Directorate General of Shipping recognized RPSL or Recruitment and Placement Services License companies that primarily recruit semi-skilled and skilled Indian seafarers aboard specialized cargo ship fleets world-wide.

When deaths occur aboard cargo ships at deep seas, it is observed that fake news, misconceptions, premature conclusions, unverified facts, unscrupulous allegations and false or baseless accusations due to emotional outbursts by friends and family members of the deceased Indian seafarers reported by print, television and digital media and also published on the social media potentially defame the entire ship management industry of India, RPSL companies and also the maritime profession that is already subjected to more than its fair share of challenges, which in turn could unfortunately deter the newcomers of Indian nationality from joining the honourable profession of merchant navy.

Capt Girish Phadnis, a maritime stalwart and also the chief operating officer of India’s leading shipping association, The Maritime Association of Shipowners Shipmanagers and Agents said, “The report stated by the Directorate General of Shipping highlights 335 fatalities between 2018 and mid-2025 including natural deaths, suicides, and unexplained cases. In this context, it may not be fair to blame RPSL companies before the competent authorities complete their formal investigations. Maritime operations are complex, involving shipowners, flag states, insurers, and regulatory bodies. Premature accusations can damage reputations without verified evidence. Balanced reporting should distinguish between confirmed facts and assumptions. Investigations are essential to determine root causes — whether accidental, medical, psychological, operational, or systemic. Responsible communication helps maintain trust within the maritime industry. Therefore, conclusions should follow evidence, not speculations.”

A renowned maritime entrepreneur of India and promoter of Supna Holdings, Capt Naren Bhatt said that in today's world of social media, where everyone has an opinion and the means to put that out into the cyberspace, it is inevitable that Indian RPSL companies are unfairly blamed whenever deaths of Indian seafarers occur on cargo ships even before the investigations are completed by the competent authorities, including police and the governmental agencies. “Look at what happened immediately after the Ahmedabad Air India air crash last year. Within a couple of hours of this fatal air crash; Air India, Boeing, pilots, Ahmedabad airport authorities, airfield conditions etc were held responsible by netizens on social media. It is thus wise for the Indian RPSL companies to handle unfortunate incidents like suicides committed by Indian seafarers aboard the cargo ships in a professional, yet humane manner,” he added.

Maritime experts in India firmly believe that investigations into fatalities aboard cargo vessels at deep seas require time, expertise, and also evidence to determine the exact cause and fix the responsibilities. Jumping to hastily conclusions can unreasonably damage the reputations of shipping companies and also overlook systemic issues. While maritime stakeholders and the media in India do play an important and necessary role in holding Indian as well as foreign companies accountable, they should await for factual findings whenever the fatalities of Indian seafarers occur. Premature blames risk misinformation and hence undermines the trust in the Indian maritime industry. It is thus crucial to balance accountability with due process. Former general secretary of The Maritime Union of India and a well-respected maritime personality, Amar Singh Thakur said that blaming RPSL companies before all investigations get concluded is very premature and often unfair whenever natural or unnatural deaths of Indian seafarers occur aboard the cargo vessels at deep seas. He added, “Authorities like The Directorate General of Shipping of India provide valuable data that need careful interpretation. Fatalities at sea involve complex factors - natural causes, mental health, accidents, or unknown reasons. Media and stakeholders should focus on facts, not assumptions. Fairness demands patience and respect for investigative processes. Only then can meaningful safety improvements be achieved.”

A renowned maritime personality and founder of ‘Maritime Knowledge Limited’, Capt Pradeep Chawla too reiterated the fact that a fatality of any Indian seafarer is always a sad event for the family and a very difficult time for them. In most cases, the RPSL shipping company based in India and the ship owners or ship managers do everything possible in their power to make the family of the deceased comfortable. “The tendency for armchair experts to give their opinions without waiting for any details is incorrect and irresponsible. It creates wrong impressions and more traumas for the families. This tendency is also seen from journalists and media people who like to sensationalize such events. The Director General of Shipping of India is generally very helpful in giving the correct information to the families during such a crisis phase. RPSL companies, ship owners and ship managers must always remain transparent when fatalities occur aboard ships and hence keep the Director General of Shipping of India’s office fully informed,” he added.

The fundamental principle of Law although dictates that no one should be convicted unless he/she or any business entity is proven guilty holds true in a vibrant democracy like India, the recipient of The Sagar Samman Varuna Award and former chairman and managing director of the state-owned The Shipping Corporation of India, Sabyasachi Hajara opined that since the stakeholders like shipowners, ship managers and the RPSL agents are the most proximate agencies to the unfortunate death of a seafarer on-board the cargo vessel, the immediate fallout of such an unnatural death will be the suspicion on these stakeholders to be involved in one way or the other, and only a thorough investigation by competent authorities can either clear the stakeholders of such suspicions or hold them guilty.

The extraordinary challenges during the COVID years and their after-effects have also placed unprecedented physical and psychological strain on seafarers worldwide. The reported loss of 335 Indian seafarers between 2018 and mid-2025 is deeply concerning. Every life lost at sea is one too many. Behind every number are a family, a future, and a sacrifice that deserves dignity, transparency, and justice. “It is important to acknowledge that nearly 3, 00,000 Indian seafarers serve across global waters, many undertaking two to three contracts annually. While the overall fatality ratio may appear statistically low in comparison to the scale of deployment, statistics can never dilute the value of a single human life. Particularly alarming are incidents involving suicide and “missing at sea” cases. These underscore the urgent need for stronger on-board mental health frameworks, confidential counselling access, fatigue management, and a culture where seafarers can speak up without fear. Safety at sea must include mental well-being, not just compliance checklists,” said Milind Kandalgaonkar, general secretary cum treasurer, National Union of Seafarers of India or NUSI. He said that maritime casualties are complex and often involve multiple operational, technical, and human factors. It would be neither fair nor responsible to single out RPSL companies or any stakeholder before statutory investigations are completed. He added that whenever an Indian seafarer dies aboard the cargo vessel at deep seas, accountability must be evidence-based, time-bound, transparent, and free from prejudice. If negligence, non-compliance, or systemic failures are established — whether involving manning agents, shipowners, or regulatory oversight; strict and visible action must follow. Kandalgaonkar said that NUSI strongly advocates for independent and time-bound casualty investigations, stronger regulatory oversight and enforcement, improved on-board safety and welfare standards, robust mental health support systems for Indian seafarers and responsible and evidence-based public discourse for the benefit of the Indian seafaring community.

The stakeholders of Indian maritime industry hence believe that any incident unfortunate involving Indian seafarers, including suicides aboard cargo vessels at deep sea, must first be established and formally communicated by the concerned RPSL shipping company and the Directorate General of Shipping before any conclusions are drawn. Premature attributing blame, whether by stakeholders or the media, risks creating a narrative that may not reflect the actual circumstances and hence can lead to unfair accountability unfortunately. The Maritime Union of India general secretary Capt Savio Ramos said, “It is essential that the findings of the competent authority, along with the actions taken, are transparently shared with all stakeholders. This ensures clarity, prevents speculation, and promotes a responsible and balanced understanding of the issue. The Maritime Union of India hence emphasises that its intervention, including representation and diplomatic engagement, can be undertaken effectively only after the verified facts are available. A fair, fact-based, and transparent process is crucial to protect the interests and dignity of Indian seafarers and to maintain trust across the maritime industry.”

Also is the alarming trend observed recently in India, where seafarers are being criminalized for being on-board during the unfortunate fatality of a fellow seafarer. “It is disheartening to see that, despite most seafarer deaths being due to natural causes, occupational reasons, or self-harm, some connected families have taken to filing criminal charges against innocent seafarers who were genuinely doing their best to save their colleagues,” said a well-known maritime Indian journalist who preferred to remain anonymous.

Government of India’s The Maritime India Vision 2030 sets a clear direction for the growth of India’s maritime sector, with a strong emphasis on improving the welfare, and global standing of Indian seafarers. In a profession marked by long absences, unpredictable risks, and demanding conditions, mental wellness and social dignity are lifelines of the Indian seafaring community. Going forward, continuous interactions with seafarer representative associations and unions, and regular feedback on compliances and resolutions is undoubtedly going to strengthen the trust and healthy relationship amongst crucial stakeholders of the Indian maritime industry. It is absolutely vital and crucial too as India’s buoyant ship management industry, which generates massive employment opportunities for Indian seafarers, should not be unnecessarily criticized or ‘put in the dock’ when unfortunate fatalities occur on-board ships. As India sails toward becoming a global maritime hub, the country’s reputed RPSL companies remain committed to innovation, inclusion, and human-first governance because the ocean may carry ships, but Indian seafarers carry the nation forward. To prevent suicides of Indian seafarers aboard the ships, and also protect the prestige of credible maritime recruitment companies operating in the country when such fatalities occur; physical, mental, and social well-being of Indian maritime professionals should be given utmost importance. And, RPSL companies too deserve support.