Recently, two Indian merchant ships have been attacked in the Middle East, and this series of incidents has caused serious distress to the Indian authorities. First of all, the Indian oil tanker "Sai Baba" was attacked by drones in the southern waters of the Red Sea, and although there were no people, the Indian authorities showed great concern about the seriousness of the matter. Subsequently, another tanker, the Chemical Pluto, was attacked by a suicide drone in the waters of the Arabian Sea, hitting the stern and causing a fire. This series of attacks has made the Indian authorities very angry, because the location of the attacks is not in the traditional Middle East sphere of influence, but very close to the Indian coast, which undoubtedly constitutes a direct provocation to India.
However, India's counterattack was not unprepared. At the recent commissioning ceremony of India's third Visakhapatnam-class destroyer, Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh issued a solemn statement on the matter, saying that even if the attackers were hiding under the sea, India would find them and take stern retaliatory action. He noted that the attacks took place because some forces were filled with jealousy and hatred for India's growing economic and strategic power, which will continue to play the role of a guarantor of security in the Indian Ocean region. In addition, India has deployed four destroyers and a number of maritime patrol aircraft and drones to the Middle East region in order to closely monitor the entire situation.
However, Singh didn't quite reveal the truth behind it. According to the U.S. military, the Houthis in Yemen are likely to be behind the attack on the Chemical Pluto, and the Houthis have recently repeatedly used Iranian-aided drones to attack merchant ships of various countries. They attacked Indian merchant ships not out of jealousy of Indian developments, but on suspicion that these tankers had a direct connection with Israel, where they had stopped in the past.
The tension of the Indian authorities is not only due to the attacks on the two merchant ships, but also because of the increasing frequency of indiscriminate attacks on merchant ships by the Houthis, which has made the security problems of the Middle East shipping routes very serious. As a large and oil-poor country in South Asia, India urgently needs to import from Saudi Arabia and Iraq**, and if tensions continue in the Red Sea, this will directly affect India's fuel market and *** However, India is also unlikely to clash with the Houthis personally without the United States actively intervening. Therefore, sending destroyers to the Middle East is undoubtedly a warning signal from India to the Houthis: stop attacking Indian ships or we will act.
The Houthis are a Yemeni armed group that has risen to prominence in recent years in Yemen's civil war and has taken control of much of the country. Although the Houthis are significantly inferior in terms of the size of their personnel, they have obtained a range of advanced equipment through Iranian support, including drones. These drones have high combat performance and accuracy, making them an important tool for the Houthis against hostile forces.
There are two main types of drones used by the Houthis: one is a reconnaissance type of drone that is used to gather intelligence and monitor targets;The other is a suicide drone, that is, a drone equipped with a ** device, which is used to carry out attacks. These drones fly faster, can carry heavier loads, and are capable of causing greater damage to targets. The Houthis' long-term training and combat experience have made them have a very high hit rate in enemy attacks, which has also made them gradually emerge in the Yemeni civil war.
Iran has provided significant support to the Houthis' drone warfare capabilities. As Iran's leading presence in the Middle East, the Houthis have received all-round support from Iran, including the provision of drone technology and manufacturing capabilities. Iranian-made drones typically use advanced technology, have a long endurance and a large combat range, and are able to effectively perform a variety of tasks. This has allowed the Houthis to gain powerful drone combat capabilities, inflicting heavy losses on the enemy in the Yemeni civil war.
The targets of the Houthi drones include merchant ships and oil tankers from various countries, as well as key facilities in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The damage and threat they pose to their targets through drone strikes has affected the economies and security of these countries to a certain extent. However, in the absence of international intervention, the Houthi drone capabilities will continue to pose a threat to the Middle East and could further escalate existing conflicts.
India is the largest naval power in South Asia and also has considerable maritime power. In order to safeguard its interests and protect the country, India has been committed to the development of modern naval equipment and plays an important role in the security of the Indian Ocean region.
India's naval power is mainly made up of ships, submarines, and aviation. Currently, the Indian Navy has about 145 ships, including destroyers, frigates, patrol ships, supply ships and amphibious ships. Among them, the Visakhapatnam-class destroyer is one of India's newest destroyers, with advanced combat systems and equipment. In addition, India is equipped with modern equipment such as the P-8I maritime patrol aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles for surveillance and reconnaissance.
Sending destroyers to the Middle East, India's purpose is to send a clear signal to the Houthis: stop attacking Indian ships or we will act. This is India's demonstration of India's ability to retaliate against the Houthis by demonstrating its military capabilities, as well as sending equipment such as ** and aircraft. The intention behind it is to get the Houthis to stop their attacks and safeguard India's economic interests and ***
However, India has no intention of directly engaging the Houthis in direct conflict at present, but hopes to resolve the issue through the pressure and good offices of the international community, as well as cooperation with relevant countries. This move is partly out of respect for the strength of the Houthis, but also because India is unwilling to fight a long-term war with the Houthis. After all, drone strikes are only one of the Houthis' means of confronting hostile forces, and if India clashes with the Houthis, it could become involved in a more complex situation and cause greater losses.
In conclusion, the drone attack on an Indian merchant ship by the Houthis has sparked discontent and concern among the Indian authorities. Although India sent destroyers to the Middle East to warn the Houthis, India is not currently willing to engage the Houthis in direct conflict and instead resolve the matter through diplomatic means. However, the Houthis' drone combat power remains strong and still poses a threat to the security of the Middle East region. Therefore, the international community needs to strengthen cooperation to jointly address the Houthi challenge and prevent further escalation.