In response to Western airstrikes on Yemen’s Houthi rebels for their attacks on vessels in the Red Sea, India’s Minister of External Affairs will begin a two-day visit to Iran on Sunday. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar’s visit takes place one month after the US blamed Iran for a drone strike on a ship that was close to Indian seas.
According to a government statement released on Saturday, Jaishankar and Hossein Amirabdollahian of Iran will meet to talk about “bilateral, regional, and global issues,” though no specifics were provided.
Since the beginning of Israel’s war in Gaza, which was sparked by Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, the Houthis have launched many drone and missile strikes against the vital international route through the Red Sea.
The Houthi rebels, who are supporting the Palestinians in Gaza, have launched drone and missile attacks that have forced many ships to reroute out of the Red Sea.
In response to the spate of vessel attacks, India has greatly increased its own maritime patrols in the Arabian Sea in an effort to “maintain a deterrent presence”.
The MV Chem Pluto oil tanker was struck by a drone attack in December, 370 kilometers off the coast of India. The US attributed the attack on Iran, calling Tehran “worthless.”
Following a hijacking distress call earlier this month, the Indian navy reported that it had saved 21 crew members from a ship in the Arabian Sea.
Speaking with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken on Thursday, Jaishankar said he had discussed “maritime security problems, especially the Red Sea region.