With tensions steadily rising in the Gulf region due to the war between Iran and the United States, India has ramped up its activity on both diplomatic and maritime fronts to safeguard its citizens working at sea. The reality is that Indian sailors stationed in the Strait Of Hormuz keep falling within the range of the ongoing military operations between America and Iran, and this has become the biggest cause of concern for India. For this reason, the safety of Indian nationals aboard merchant vessels passing through the Gulf and the Arabian Sea has now become one of the country's top priorities.
MEA Summons the US Representative
India's Ministry of External Affairs today, Friday, summoned Jason Meeks, the Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy, for the second time this week. The step was taken after a report emerged of an attack on a merchant vessel carrying around 20 Indian crew members near the coast of Oman. The incident has further deepened the worries of the Indian government.
Repeated Attacks Heighten India's Concern
According to available information, the Additional Secretary for American affairs in the Ministry of External Affairs met Jason Meeks and conveyed India's grave concern over the worsening security situation along international maritime routes. India made it clear that preventing harm to civilian merchant vessels during any military action is absolutely essential.
Roughly 10 Percent of the World's Seafarers Are Indian
It is worth noting that maritime trade was already facing major challenges in the Gulf region because of the Iran-US conflict. In view of the rising tensions, several shipping companies are reviewing their sea routes and security arrangements afresh. Notably, around 10 percent of all seafarers worldwide are Indian. Thousands of Indian sailors are deployed on cargo ships, oil tankers and other merchant vessels that regularly pass through the Strategic Maritime Routes of the Gulf and the Arabian Sea.
Growing Demand to Protect Citizens and Vessels
The recent alleged missile attack on the MT Jalveer has further intensified concerns over the safety of citizens and ships. According to reports, several Indian sailors have been affected in the attacks of recent days. This has fuelled the demand for greater transparency in military operations and for ensuring the security of commercial maritime routes.
India Pushes for a Maritime Safety Mechanism
What stands out is that, given the growing threat to vessels, India is strongly advocating the creation of a transparent Maritime De-confliction Mechanism. Under this arrangement, better coordination can be established between military forces and commercial shipping companies, so that ships with international crews are not mistakenly targeted during a conflict.
