India has urged the international community to work collectively to safeguard critical sea lanes, emphasising that secure and predictable maritime trade routes are essential for the uninterrupted movement of food, fertilisers and fuel.

Speaking at the UN Security Council's high-level open debate on 'Food Under Fire: The Security Council's Role in Mitigating Global and Local Food Crises', India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Harish Parvathaneni, said food insecurity remains one of the gravest humanitarian consequences of armed conflict. He noted that today's conflicts increasingly generate ripple effects far beyond the immediate theatre of hostilities.

The envoy said disruptions to energy, fertiliser, shipping and agricultural trade show how regional conflicts can threaten global food security, especially in import-dependent developing countries. India's call came as the Security Council discussed ways to mitigate global and local food crises linked to conflicts.