India 'Very Closely' Monitoring Evolving Security Situation In Red Sea Amid Houthi Attacks On Ships

India on Thursday (4 January) said its closely watching the unfolding situation in the Red Sea.

This comes in light of increasing worldwide concerns regarding Houthi militants intensifying their attacks on several commercial vessels in the region.

The comments by External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal came a day after the Indian Navy said its ships and aircraft remain “mission deployed” to maintain surveillance and undertake maritime security operations in the North and Central Arabian Sea.

“We attach very high importance to freedom of navigation, free movement of commercial shipping. It is an evolving situation and we are looking at all aspects of it,” Jaiswal said at a media briefing.

“As you know, we have Indian Navy ships patrolling the area. They are also keeping a watch on Indian ships there. So far, we are not part of any multilateral initiative in the area. We are looking at the unfolding situation very closely,” he said.

There have been concerns over Iran-backed Houthi militants launching strikes on several commercial ships in the Red Sea in the last couple of weeks amid the Israel-Hamas conflict.

The MV Chem Pluto, a ship flying the Liberian flag and manned by 21 Indian crew members, was subjected to a drone attack off the western coast of India on 23 December. This incident sparked security worries in New Delhi.

In addition to MV Chem Pluto, another commercial oil tanker en route to India also experienced a suspected drone attack in the Southern Red Sea on the same day. This ship was manned by a team of 25 Indian crew members.

In a separate event, the Malta-registered ship MV Ruen was hijacked by pirates on 14 December.

The Indian Navy on Wednesday said it continues to monitor the maritime security situation in the North and Central Arabian Sea and Gulf of Aden.

The statement noted that Indian Naval vessels and aircraft continue to be mission deployed, ensuring heightened surveillance and carrying out maritime security operations.

Over the past week, Indian Naval Task Groups operating in the region have conducted investigations on a significant number of fishing vessels and have boarded those deemed of interest.