New Delhi: The United States has extended an invitation to India to join Operation Prosperity Guardian, a multinational naval coalition aimed at addressing the threats posed by Yemen's Houthi insurgents in the Red Sea. This initiative, coordinated under the Combined Maritime Forces, intends to safeguard maritime security and protect global shipping lanes, which have increasingly become targets of Houthi attacks.
The recent assaults by Houthi militants on vessels traversing the Red Sea since November have compelled shipping companies to divert from this critical trade route. The group has explicitly stated its objective of targeting vessels associated with Israel as retribution for the country's military actions in Gaza. Notably, two Indian-linked ships, MV Chem Pluto and MV Sai Baba, fell victim to drone strikes towards the end of December.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin confirmed the participation of nations such as the UK, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles, and Spain in Operation Prosperity Guardian.
While over 40 countries have joined the United States in condemning the Houthi attacks, a spokesperson from the US embassy emphasized the necessity for more widespread global action in response to these incidents when approached by Mint for comments.
The spokesperson highlighted, "We welcome the participation of other countries, including India, to safeguard the freedom of navigation in the crucial waterways of the region, including through involvement in Operation Prosperity Guardian."
However, the embassy refrained from commenting on specific discussions between India and the US regarding this matter.
Arindam Bagchi, the former official spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), expressed India's keen interest in supporting the unobstructed movement of commercial shipping. Bagchi hinted at previous communications concerning the task force in December.
Although India is a member of the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), it has been cautious about accepting the US invitation to join Operation Prosperity Guardian. Similar to France, Spain, and Italy, India prefers maintaining an independent naval presence in the area instead of joining a US-led maritime coalition against the Houthi assaults.
Experts speculate that India might be apprehensive about potential escalations in hostilities following the US naval forces' retaliatory actions.
In response to the attacks on shipping vessels near Indian coasts, the Indian Navy has bolstered maritime surveillance in the Arabian Sea. It has deployed destroyers and frigates to ensure heightened security in the region.
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