New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh talked tough Tuesday about the recent drone attacks on two India-bound merchant vessels, vowing to hunt down the perpetrators to the “depths of the sea.”
The minister said the government had taken the attacks on MV Chem Pluto in the Arabian Sea and MV Sai Baba in the Red Sea a few days ago “very seriously”.
Singh said strict action would be taken against the assaulters, and indicated that the attacks were intentional and not a mistake.
India has already deployed three guided-missile destroyers — INS Mormugao, INS Kochi, and INS Kolkata — in various areas to maintain a deterrent presence even as its surveillance aircraft, like the P8i, keep vigil.
The Navy, which has started an investigation into the attacks, confirmed that the attack on MV Chem Pluto Saturday was carried out by a drone.
Yemen-based Houthi rebels were suspected to be the perpetrators, but the Pentagon has blamed it on Iran — a charge they have denied.
Implying that the attacks were intentional, Singh said Tuesday: “Whoever carried it out, we will find them even from the depths of the sea and take strict action against them.”
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony of INS Imphal in Mumbai, he added, “India’s growing economic and strategic power has filled some forces with jealousy and hatred.”
The minister underlined that India played the role of “net security provider” in the entire Indian Ocean Rim region. “We will ensure that maritime trade in this region rises from the sea to the heights of the sky. For this, together with friendly countries, we will keep sea lanes safe and secure for maritime commerce,” he said.
The attack, the inquiry
A team from the Indian Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal has inspected MV Chem Pluto after it docked in Mumbai following the attack. Analysis of the attack surface and the debris found on the ship pointed towards a drone, the Navy said.
However, further forensic and technical analysis would be required to establish the vector of the attack, including the type and amount of explosives used.
A joint investigation by various agencies has begun after the initial analysis by the explosive ordnance team.
The Western Naval Command’s Maritime Operations Centre is actively monitoring the situation in close coordination with the Coast Guard and all agencies concerned, the Navy added.
The Israel-Hamas conflict has led to severe fear in maritime business, with the pro-Palestine Houthis of Yemen launching attacks on ships trying to traverse the Red Sea.
The sea is critical to enter and exit the Suez Canal, a crucial link connecting Asia and Europe to America.
As reported by ThePrint, shipping companies have paused activity in the Red Sea and are looking for viable alternatives. Bypassing the Suez Canal requires ships to go all the way around the continent of Africa — meaning a huge increase in costs and travel time.
This impacts India in particular since the country has been importing about 40 percent of its oil requirement from Russia at discounted rates.
Ships loaded with Russian oil may see a 63 percent increase in their travel time if they were to re-route around Africa — and continued disturbance to maritime trade would make it even more costly.
Edited by Tikli Basu.
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