Indian navy beefs up security in Arabian Sea following drone attacks
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New Delhi: The Indian Navy has deployed task groups in the north and Central Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden following frequent attack on merchant vessels sailing via international shipping lanes.
The navy stated that it is closely working with the Coast Guard in the Indian Ocean, NDTV reported.
Alongside, the navy deployed destroyers and frigates for maritime security operations to help merchant vessels in need of security.
The Indian Navy stepped security after a merchant vessel, MV Chem Pluto, was struck by a drone 400 km off the Indian coastline days ago.
Two days after it was attacked, the ship with a crew of 20 Indians and one Vietnamese arrived at Mumbai port on December 6 under the protection of the Coast Guard ship Vikram.
‘The last few weeks have seen increased maritime security incidents on merchant vessels transiting through international shipping lanes in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and central/north Arabian Sea,’ the navy reportedly stated.
The navy stated that shift in security incidents show them being closer to India EEC ( Exclusive economic zone) with the recent attack was at 220 miles Southwest of Porbandar where the another one had been nearly 700 nautical miles from the Indian coast.
Alongside long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft P8Is, the navy has deployed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and maritime patrol aircraft.
Meanwhile, Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels have been carrying out drone and missile attack on the Red Sea shipping lanes since the Israel-Hamas war on October 7.