India on Tuesday reiterated its call for free and safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, saying it was in touch with all concerned parties to prevent attacks on civilian vessels and seafarers, including Indian-flagged ships and Indian nationals working onboard.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said New Delhi remained engaged with the stakeholders amid a spate of attacks on commercial shipping in the region.
"We continue to call for free and safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz," Jaiswal said.
"We are in touch with all concerned parties to avoid attacks on civilian shipping and seafarers, including vessels under Indian flag and Indian seafarers," he added.
An Indian sailor was killed in an attack on a commercial vessel near Limah, Oman, on November 2. India had strongly condemned the incident.
The West Asia conflict, which began in February following US and Israeli strikes on Iran, has disrupted maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. India has consistently called for resolving the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy.
Meanwhile, tensions have escalated following a series of Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia. India has expressed serious concern over strikes targeting the kingdom's civilian infrastructure and economic assets, warning that they threaten regional stability and freedom of navigation through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait.
The Iran-backed Houthi group recently targeted Saudi Arabia's East-West oil pipeline, a key route for transporting crude oil and bypassing the Strait of Hormuz disruptions.
With shipping through Hormuz affected by the conflict, the pipeline has emerged as a crucial alternative for Saudi oil exports. The Houthi strikes have also raised concerns over the security of the Bab-el-Mandeb, a strategic maritime chokepoint between the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.
The strait connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea, making it a vital passage for global trade and energy shipments.
(With inputs from PTI)
