India on Tuesday reiterated its opposition to attacks on merchant shipping and civilian infrastructure amid the West Asia conflict and said strikes on Saudi Arabia’s economic assets by Yemen’s Houthi rebels undermine regional stability and navigation through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
“We are deeply concerned with the escalation in the situation in the Red Sea region. “I would say that such attacks undermine regional stability and threaten freedom of navigation through the Bab-el-Mandeb. These are obviously unacceptable to us. “Let me say that targeting of commercial shipping, seafarers, civilians and civilian infrastructure in the region is unacceptable to us.
External affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in the context of an attack on an oil tanker off the coast of Oman that left an Indian seafarer missing that the targeting of commercial shipping, mariners, civilians and civilian infrastructure in West Asia is unacceptable to India. “He [Jaishankar] discussed several issues, regional developments as also international developments and the issue of the Houthis was also discussed,” Jaiswal said. We have condemned the attack on Saudi sovereign territory, including on the civilian infrastructure and economic assets,” Jaiswal said. We hope there is early restoration of peace and stability in the region,” he said. “Search and rescue operations continue with the help of Omani authorities and our embassy is in close touch,” Jaiswal said. We also urge that free and safe navigation and flow of commerce through international waterways in the region be restored at the earliest,” he said.
The issue of Houthi strikes on Saudi Arabia figured in a meeting between external affairs minister S Jaishankar and his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, on the margins of the Brics Summit on Sunday.
