NEW DELHI: Three days after an unmanned drone attacked a merchant ship off the coast of Veraval and another Indian merchant ship being attacked in Red Sea, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, expressing concerns on the situation in West Asia.
“I held a good conversation with my brother Prince Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud on the future of strategic partnership between India and Saudi Arabia. We exchanged views on West Asia situation and shared concerns regarding terrorism, violence and the loss of civilian lives. We agreed to work together for peace, security and stability in the region,” said Modi.
It may be recalled that three days ago, an unmanned drone hit a merchant ship (MV Chem Pluto) off the coast of Veraval in Gujarat. The vessel had 21 Indian sailors on board. While nobody was hurt fortunately, the ship, which carried oil from Saudi Arabia and was heading to Mangaluru, suffered damages. A day later, another Indian ship, MV Sai Baba, was attacked in Red Sea.
This is an obvious spillover of the conflict in Red Sea. Many merchant ships have paused their commute after Houthi attacks. The Houthis, who rule a major part of Yemen, have pledged to carry out attacks until Israel halts assault on Gaza. About 40 per cent of international trade passes through the narrow strait between Yemen and northeast Africa, which leads northwards to the Red Sea, Israel’s southern port facilities and the Suez Canal.