India in talks with Russia, Ukraine on safe Black Sea passage for grain and fuel

India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said India is in talks with Russia and Ukraine to secure safe passage for grain and fuel shipments from the Black Sea, following July attacks on civilian shipping that killed Indian sailors. Jaishankar, speaking at the 5th Kautilya Economic Conclave in New Delhi, called the attacks "completely unacceptable" and said he personally raised the matter with both countries' foreign ministers. He noted the talks expanded from securing sailors to broader concerns about grain and energy exports, which disproportionately impact the Global South. Jaishankar affirmed the United States as India's principal strategic partner while navigating a multipolar "age of flux" with China and Russia. He called for United Nations reform, saying the body remains gridlocked with only a few countries resisting change.