India opposes attacks on merchant shipping, civilian infrastructure in West Asia
India on Tuesday reiterated its opposition to attacks on merchant shipping and civilian infrastructure amid the West Asia conflict and said strikes on Saudi Arabia’s economic assets by Yemen’s Houthi rebels undermine regional stability and navigation through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
External affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in the context of an attack on an oil tanker off the coast of Oman that left an Indian seafarer missing that the targeting of commercial shipping, mariners, civilians and civilian infrastructure in West Asia is unacceptable to India.
The issue of Houthi strikes on Saudi Arabia figured in a meeting between external affairs minister S Jaishankar and his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, on the margins of the Brics Summit on Sunday. “He [Jaishankar] discussed several issues, regional developments as also international developments and the issue of the Houthis was also discussed,” Jaiswal said.
“We are deeply concerned with the escalation in the situation in the Red Sea region. We have condemned the attack on Saudi sovereign territory, including on the civilian infrastructure and economic assets,” Jaiswal said.
“I would say that such attacks undermine regional stability and threaten freedom of navigation through the Bab-el-Mandeb. These are obviously unacceptable to us. We hope there is early restoration of peace and stability in the region,” he said.
However, Jaiswal noted that India continues to receive energy supplies from the region.
Last week, India condemned Houthi attacks on energy facilities belonging to oil giant Saudi Aramco that triggered fires at multiple oil installations and injured 73 people. The Iran-backed Houthis also attacked Saudi Arabia’s 1,200-km East-West oil pipeline, resulting in the temporary closure of the facility and affecting up to 5% of global oil supply.
The importance of the Bab-el-Mandeb has grown for Saudi energy exports following Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Despite India’s increased purchases of Russian oil, Saudi Arabia remains among the country’s top three energy suppliers.
Jaiswal responded to a question on an attack on the Panama-flagged oil tanker MT El Gaia that left an Indian seafarer missing off the coast of Oman on Sunday by saying that all such strikes are unacceptable. Thirteen more Indian seafarers on El Gaia were rescued by Omani authorities.
“Search and rescue operations continue with the help of Omani authorities and our embassy is in close touch,” Jaiswal said.
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“Let me say that targeting of commercial shipping, seafarers, civilians and civilian infrastructure in the region is unacceptable to us. We also urge that free and safe navigation and flow of commerce through international waterways in the region be restored at the earliest,” he said.
Ten seafarers are among the 16 Indians killed so far in the West Asia conflict. Indian seafarers make up more than 12% of the global merchant shipping workforce, second only to Philippine nationals.
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