LOC23:14
20:14 GMT
NEW DELHI, Jan 18 (KUNA) -- India on Thursday expressed deep concern over the evolving situation in the Red Sea and Arabian Sea.
Attack on merchant vessels impact not only Indian interests but interests of others across the world, External Affairs Ministry Spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said while briefing media persons in New Delhi.
"Whatever is happening there impacts not just us but the economic interests and several other interests of so many people across the world. We are closely monitoring the situation," he said while answering a question on Houthi attacks on ships.
He also said that during the recent visit of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to Iran he discussed the situation in the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and the destabilised nature of things with his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir Abdollahian in Tehran.
Meanwhile, Indian Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar told media persons that Indian navy will protect Indian interests in the Arabian Sea and Red Sea area and will not allow instability there.
"We are deployed to ensure that our national interest in the maritime domain is protected. We have our own deployments. We have two ongoing anti-piracy operations there and anti-drone support for merchant shipping," the Indian Navy chief stated.
"The job of the Navy is to ensure that we preserve, protect and pursue our national interest in the maritime domain. That is what we are doing. Anti-piracy operations have been going on since 2008. We have deployed more than 106 ships since then on a continuous basis," he added. (end)
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