A US-owned ship in the Gulf of Aden was targeted by a Houthi drone, prompting the deployment of the Indian naval ship INS Visakhapatnam to rescue the vessel after a distress call. This marks the second instance of India sending a naval vessel to aid a cargo ship since the start of the Red Sea attacks.
The incident has heightened pressure on the crucial maritime route linking Asia to Europe. Tensions have led to increased insurance costs for commercial ships, rerouting through the Cape of Good Hope, and delays in deliveries, causing disruptions in global supply chains.
Former Indian Envoy to Iran, KC Singh, highlighted India's delicate position in the geopolitical scenario, with China taking a clear pro-Palestinian stance and India attempting to navigate a middle ground.
Singh in an interview with CNBC-TV18 stated, “The Chinese right from the beginning, took a very clear pro-Palestinian stand. Whereas India tried to be somewhere in the middle. In the beginning, we seemed to be on the side of Israel by saying terrorism is bad then we corrected it. So India is kind of caught in the middle and we are trying to now rebalance and find a way out of it.”
Singh added that the ongoing Red Sea conflict has also prompted concerns about trade disruptions affecting Indian exports and imports.
The Department of Financial Services (DFS) in the Indian government has been tasked with maintaining credit flow for exporters amid the challenges posed by the conflict.
Former Foreign Secretary Shashank noted that India initially supported actions against a terrorist group, but global protests and concerns about civilian casualties have complicated the situation.
India's efforts to build strong ties with Gulf countries are facing strain, and initiatives like the Chabahar Port and IMEC are encountering challenges. The West Asian policy of India is under significant pressure, impacting its diplomatic postures, Shashank added.
Raymond Vickery, a Senior Associate at CSIS, emphasised the United States' efforts to prevent the situation from escalating into a full-blown crisis. Vickery highlighted the limits of US power and stressed the importance of democratic nations, such as India and the US, collaborating to address the challenges.
Watch the accompanying video for the entire discussion.
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