Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday agreed to work together for peace, security and stability in West Asia amid Israel’s war on Gaza.
“We exchanged views on the West Asia situation and shared concerns regarding terrorism, violence and the loss of civilian lives,” Modi said in a tweet after a telephone call with Salman. “Agreed to work together for peace, security and stability in the region.”
This came as several missile and drone attacks disrupted maritime traffic in the Red Sea in response to the war in Gaza.
More than 20,000 Palestinians, including at least 8,000 children, have been killed since October 7 amid Israel’s war on Gaza. The war was triggered by the attack on southern Israel by Palestinian militant group Hamas that killed 1,200 people. The militant group had also taken more than 200 hostages.
In the wake of the conflict, attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea have increased. Since November, Yemeni Houthi rebels, who are backed by Iran, have claimed responsibility for several attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea. The attacks have increased navigation risks along the crucial international maritime route.
On Tuesday, Modi and Salman exchanged views on the current situation in West Asia.
“The Prime Minister reiterated India’s long-standing and principled position on the Israel-Palestine issue and called for continued humanitarian aid for the affected population,” a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office said. “The two leaders agreed to work together for peace, security and stability in the region. They also emphasised the need for maintaining maritime security and the freedom of navigation.”
On December 23, a Liberian-flagged chemical tanker MV Chem Pluto had suffered a drone strike. The tanker, carrying a crew of 21 Indians and a Vietnamese, was hit by a drone off India’s west coast when it was on its way to the New Mangalore port.
The same day, a Gabon-flagged oil tanker with 25 Indian crew was also attacked by a drone in the Southern Red Sea.
The United States had accused Iran of attacking MV Chem Pluto. However, Iran denied the accusation.Hossein Amirabdollahian, the foreign minister of Iran, said at a press conference in Tehran on Saturday that the United States’ “accusation is baseless” and that the spate of maritime attacks is “a completely Yemeni decision in support and defence of Gaza”.
The Indian Navy on Monday deployed guided missile destroyer ships to maintain a deterrent presence in the Arabian Sea.
