Indian Navy Deploys Destroyers And Frigates In Arabian Sea After Attack On Merchant Ships

In response to recent attacks on commercial vessels in vital trade lanes, the Indian Navy has increased its force levels in the region and deployed task groups of frigates and frontline destroyers in the central and north Arabian Sea to conduct maritime security operations.

The Navy announced on Sunday that it has increased its efforts to monitor the seas. It stated that recent events, such as the drone attack on the commercial vessel MV Chem Pluto about 220 nm southwest of Porbandar, have shown that occurrences are now occurring closer to India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

The Indian Navy’s increased use of resources in the area, notably long-range maritime patrol aircraft, coincided with growing international alarm over the Houthi terrorists’ targeting of multiple cargo ships in the Red Sea against the current backdrop of the Israel-Hamas conflict.

The Navy reaffirmed its commitment to guaranteeing the safety of merchant shipping in the area. It stated that it actively monitors the overall situation in collaboration with national maritime agencies. According to the statement, task groups made up of destroyers and frigates have been sent out to carry out activities related to maritime security and support merchant boats in the event of an emergency.

On December 23, a drone attack off India’s west coast targeted the Liberian-flagged tanker MV Chem Pluto, which had 21 Indian crew members on board. The attack raised security worries in New Delhi at the same time that Houthi terrorists, backed by Iran, were attacking other commercial vessels in the Red Sea.

In addition to MV Chem Pluto, a second commercial oil tanker headed for India was targeted by what seemed to be a drone strike in the southern Red Sea the same day. The ship’s crew consisted of 25 Indians. In a different instance, pirates took control of the MV Ruen, a vessel flying the Malta flag, on December 14. Per the Navy, there have been more maritime security incidents in the recent several weeks involving merchant ships travelling via international shipping channels in the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and the Central/North Arabian Sea.

The most recent drone attack on MV Chem Pluto, approximately 220 nm southwest of Porbandar, and the pirate incident on the MV Ruen, around 700 nautical miles off the Indian coast, point to a shift in maritime occurrences closer to the Indian EEZ. The Navy said in a statement that it has “augmented” force levels and significantly increased naval surveillance operations in the central and north Arabian Sea in response to such incidents.

Long-range naval patrol planes and remotely piloted aircraft (RPAs) have improved aerial surveillance to provide full maritime domain awareness. The Indian Navy and the Coast Guard are working to provide efficient EEZ surveillance, the Navy stated. The Indian Navy, working with national maritime agencies, carefully monitors the whole situation. The Indian Navy is still dedicated to ensuring that regional maritime shipping is safe.

The External Affair Ministry’s spokesperson, Arindam Bagchi, stated on Friday that the ministry is closely assessing every facet of the developing situation in the Red Sea, particularly in light of the Houthi rebels’ increased attacks on ships in the area. He added that India is not a part of any other multilateral operation or initiative in the Red Sea region.

As previously stated, they cherish the unrestricted flow of commercial vessels, which is among the essential tenets supporting international trade, according to Bagchi. They are closely examining every facet of the developing circumstances in that area. He stated that our defence forces are taking the required actions in this regard. Bagchi also noted that the defence forces had begun the necessary measures without providing details.

Reference: Telegraph India

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Source: Maritime Shipping News