On February 6, the American "Time" magazine published an article entitled "India is Walking a Diplomatic Tightrope on the Red Sea Conflict", written by Asta Rajvanshi. The full text is excerpted below:
Since December, Indian Sea vessels have served as first responders in at least 17 hijackings of ships by Red Sea pirates. Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar told reporters on January 30: "If something bad happens to our neighbours and we say, 'It's none of my business,' we won't be seen as a responsible country." ”
India's response comes against the backdrop of growing fears about the resurgence of piracy in the Red Sea. Last October, the Houthis began a series of attacks on Israeli-linked vessels. In response to the escalation of the conflict, nearly 20 countries have joined the U.S.-led Operation Prosperity Guardian, which aims to help ships in the Red Sea navigate safely.
However, India has so far not been involved in the operation, which experts say is an attempt to balance diplomatic interests with Iran. Relations between India and Iran have been around for centuries, but given Modi's closeness to Washington over the past few years, India must be cautious diplomatically as it plays an important role in the Red Sea.
Rather than using its military capabilities to fight the Houthis in the Red Sea, the Indian Navy has opted to deploy cruise missiles, maritime patrol aircraft and drones to monitor commercial traffic in the region, focusing on countering piracy in the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea, including two frontline ships in the Gulf of Aden and at least 10** in the northern and western Arabian Seas, reconnaissance aircraft and naval personnel including special commandos. In the past two months, these have monitored and inspected more than 250 vessels and boats, and boarded more than 40 vessels, India said.
Abhijit Singh, a former naval officer and head of the Centre for Maritime Policy Research under the Observer Research Group, an Indian think tank, told reporters: "India faces an embarrassing situation in the Red Sea. Indian policymakers recognize the need to protect commercial shipping from armed attacks, but feel they must refrain from engaging in military operations against politically backed groups that control large swaths of Yemen. ”
Recent attacks have severely affected India's exports and exports. India's exports rely heavily on the Red Sea and the Suez Canal as safe passages, and it is also a gateway to important regions such as Europe, North America, North Africa and West Asia. Since the beginning of the conflict, India has experienced significant delays in shipping exports, including threats to cargo ships, skyrocketing container freight rates, and exporters withholding shipments through the Red Sea, which may have contributed to a reduction of around 20% in India's total exports.
At the same time, New Delhi is "increasingly wary of Houthi ties to Iran," Singh said, referring to the Indian Navy's recent investigation into an attack on a merchant ship that took place in December last year in the Arabian Sea; The investigation found that the attackers may have used Iranian suicide drones, thus adding to fears that the Houthis may have obtained Iran's **.
Jaishankar also raised this issue during his recent visit to Tehran. At a joint press conference with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, he told reporters: "This worrying situation does not benefit either side, and this must be clearly recognized." According to a statement from the United States, Jaishankar spoke with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken prior to the visit, and both sides expressed "shared concern over the reckless attacks by the Houthis in the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden."
"By some accounts, India is eager to assist the United States in countering the threat posed by the Houthis – even though New Delhi has not yet decided whether to join the US-led Red Sea alliance," Singh said. (Compiled by Adrian Cheng).