India, July 27 -- Amid escalating security threats in the Black Sea region, India on Sunday issued a strong advisory urging its citizens to carefully evaluate the risks before accepting jobs on commercial vessels operating in conflict-hit waters.

The warning comes after five Indian nationals lost their lives in separate attacks on merchant ships in the region over the past week, underlining the growing dangers posed by the Russia-Ukraine war.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the security environment in and around the Black Sea remains highly volatile, with commercial shipping increasingly vulnerable to missile and drone strikes. It noted that attacks on merchant vessels have risen sharply since April, making maritime operatio...