Attacks on Ships in Vicinity of India Matter of Grave Concern: Jaishankar on Red Sea Crisis

Terming the attacks  on ships  near India as a subject of grave concern for the global community, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar conveyed that such threats have a direct bearing on India's energy and economic interest as he underlined that this fraught situation is not to the benefit of any party.

There have also been recently a perceptible increase in threats to the safety of maritime commercial traffic in this important part of the Indian Ocean, he said in a joint press statement after wide-ranging talks with Iranian counterpart Hossein Amirabdollahian. He stressed that it's important that this issue be "speedily addressed", in an apparent reference to targeting of merchant vessels in the Red Sea one of the busiest trade routes  by Iranian-backed Yemen's Houthi rebels amid the Israel-Hamas conflict.

We have even seen some attacks in the vicinity of India. This is a matter of great concern to the international community. Obviously, it also has a direct bearing on India's energy and economic interests. This fraught situation is not to the benefit of any party and this must be clearly recognised, he said.

On the same day that a projectile launched by Houthis targeted a US-owned vessel near the Yemeni coast in the Gulf of Aden, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar expressed his concerns. Reports revealed that a day prior, the Houthis had launched an anti-ship cruise missile at an American destroyer in the Red Sea. Responding to these developments, the US and the UK initiated airstrikes against Houthi positions in Yemen last week.

India is closely monitoring the evolving situation in the Red Sea, with the Indian Navy intensifying the deployment of frontline ships and surveillance aircraft to bolster maritime security operations. This strategic move aims to safeguard critical sea lanes, including those in the North and Central Arabian Sea.

As part of the ongoing high-level exchanges between India and Iran, Jaishankar highlighted that both nations share apprehensions regarding recent events in West Asia. They underscored the importance of preventing further escalation of violence and hostilities in the region.