India on Tuesday expressed serious concern over Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia’s civilian infrastructure and economic assets, cautioning that such strikes undermine regional stability and threaten freedom of navigation through the Bab-el-Mandeb strait.
External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal’s remarks came amid a sudden escalation in tensions in the Middle East, especially after the Houthi strikes on Saudi Arabia.
Jaiswal, responding to questions on the situation in the Middle East, said that External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar discussed the latest developments during a meeting with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud on the margins of the BRICS summit on Sunday. “The issue of the Houthis was also discussed. As you know, recently there was an attack on Saudi Arabia which we have condemned. “We have condemned the attack on the Saudi sovereign territory, including on the civilian infrastructure and economic assets. “These are obviously unacceptable to us; we hope there is early restoration of peace and stability in the region.
We are deeply concerned also with the escalation in the situation in the Red Sea region,” the spokesperson said. I would say that such attacks undermine regional stability and threaten freedom of navigation through the Bab-el-Mandeb,” he said. Having said that, let me say that we continue to receive energy supplies from that part of the world,” Jaiswal added. Responding to a question about an Indian who went missing last week following an attack on a Panama-flagged ship off the coast of Oman, Jaiswal said that the search and rescue operation continues. “The ship had 14 Indian nationals, of whom 13 have been rescued and we deeply thank the Omani authorities for rescuing our nationals,” he said.
