Confident India: Change From Gulf War 1
During the Gulf War 1 between USA and Iraq, a Dutch Naval Ship under NATO flag had the temerity to halt, board and search an Indian merchant ship of all the places,in the Arabian sea. India had failed to take any action.
Today the scenario seems to have changed completely. Just a day back Iran shot down a US naval surveillance drone near the Strait of Hormuz. Iran claimed that the drone had violated Iranian airspace, though it has been denied by the US. Last week, a Japanese and a Norwegian tanker were attacked near the Strait of Hormuz. The US had then also blamed Iran for the attacks.
Now India has taken a decision to deploy two Naval ships in the Gulf of Oman to monitor the volatile situation as tensions rise in the Gulf due to strained relations between the US and Iran. India has deployed two warships in the region. to protect Indian shipping and Indian national interests.
The Persian Gulf is one of the most crucial waterways of the world, through which majority of the world’s energy and as much as 40% of the Indian energy supplies flow.
Earlier the Director General of Shipping had also issued two advisories to all Indian Flagged Vessels operating in the Strait of Hormuz and Persian and Arabian Gulf Region asking them to take “appropriate protection”.
India has now deployed INS CHENNAI and INS SUNAYANA and P8Imaritime surveillance aircraft. INS CHENNAI is a Kolkata-class stealth guided destroyer whereas INS SUNAYNA is a Saryu-class patrol vessel. Both are front line warships of the Indian Navy.
The Indian warships will “reassure Indian flagged vessels” sailing through the area, said the spokesperson of the Indian Navy Captain D K Sharma
The decision to deploy Indian warships was taken “following maritime security incidents”, Captain DK Sharma said, adding, “the warships will coordinate between stakeholders and escort Indian merchant shipping when required.”
The Information Fusion Centre, which gets live pictures of white water and military warships through satellites, radar stations and surveillance, “is keeping a watch on the movement of ships in the Gulf region”, the Navy spokesperson said.
This is the Indian Ocean and here no one should dare to attack, seize or board any Indian merchant ship. Indian Navy will ensure this without doubt.
