Liberia, India Launch Global Maritime Security Initiative

NEW YORK, September 28, 2026 — Liberia and India have jointly launched the Group of Friends on Safety and Security of Shipping and Seafarers (GoF on S4), a new international platform aimed at strengthening maritime safety, securing shipping routes and protecting seafarers.
The initiative was launched at United Nations Headquarters in New York on the margins of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly, bringing together foreign ministers, deputy foreign ministers, ambassadors and other senior officials from participating countries.
The Group is expected to provide a platform for flag States, coastal States, port States, seafarer-supplying countries and other stakeholders to strengthen coordination, exchange best practices and promote implementation of existing international maritime instruments.
It will also seek to keep the safety and welfare of seafarers high on the international agenda amid growing security threats to commercial shipping and major maritime corridors.
Countries participating in or supporting the initiative include France, Greece, Türkiye, Russia, Germany, the Netherlands, Japan, Sierra Leone, the Philippines, Portugal, Panama, Bahrain, Malta, Singapore, Viet Nam, Croatia, Indonesia, Cyprus, Malaysia and Sri Lanka, among others.
The initiative grew out of discussions between Liberia and India during Foreign Minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti’s official visit to New Delhi in August, when Liberia reopened its resident embassy in India after more than 35 years.
During that visit, the two countries explored deeper maritime cooperation, including the establishment of an international platform focused on the safety and security of commercial shipping and seafarers.
Speaking at the launch, Minister Nyanti said maritime security has direct implications for international trade, investment, food and energy security, resilient supply chains and countries’ ability to harness maritime resources for development.
She stressed that international maritime policy must also place greater emphasis on the men and women who operate commercial vessels and sustain global shipping.
“The Group of Friends is not a symbolic gesture. It is an action-driven multilateral coalition,” Nyanti said.
“We are not here to duplicate. We are here to complement and strengthen,” she added, explaining that the initiative would work within existing international maritime frameworks while using the collective diplomatic and maritime influence of participating countries to strengthen standards and protections for seafarers.
Nyanti said Liberia and India want the initiative to move beyond expressions of concern toward practical international cooperation.
The Foreign Minister also acknowledged the work of the Liberia Maritime Authority (LiMA), headed by Commissioner General Neto Zarzar Lighe Sr., and the Liberia International Ship & Corporate Registry (LISCR) in strengthening Liberia’s maritime sector and supporting the country’s role in international shipping.
She said Liberia’s position as a major global flag State brings not only economic opportunities and international standing, but also responsibilities to contribute to the safety and security of global shipping and the welfare of seafarers.
India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, who co-chaired the inaugural meeting with Nyanti, said the initiative brings together countries with major shipping registries, ship-owning interests and large numbers of seafarers.
The two countries are seeking stronger international coordination at a time when commercial vessels and their crews face increasing security threats in major shipping corridors, including the Red Sea, Gulf and Black Sea.
For Liberia, the initiative also represents an effort to use its prominent position in global shipping to expand its diplomatic role in discussions on maritime security, international trade and the protection of seafarers.
Nyanti said the Group should serve as a practical platform for countries to work collectively to address those challenges while protecting the people at the center of global maritime commerce.