New Delhi has issued a strong condemnation of the latest Houthi strikes targeting Saudi Arabia, marking yet another escalation in a conflict that has long destabilized the Red Sea region and threatens one of the world's busiest maritime corridors.
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs expressed deep concern over the attacks, describing them as a serious threat to regional peace and stability. Officials emphasized that such military actions not only endanger lives but also jeopardize the free flow of commercial shipping through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, which serves as a vital chokepoint connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the wider Indian Ocean.
The strait, whose name translates to "Gate of Tears," is one of the most strategically important waterways on the planet. An estimated ten percent of global trade and a significant share of the world's crude oil shipments pass through it each year. For India specifically, the implications are profound — the country sources the overwhelming majority of its oil from the Middle East, with major quantities arriving via tankers that transit the Bab-el-Mandeb before entering the Arabian Sea and Indian waters.
Indian diplomats have raised the issue bilaterally with several key partners, including the United States, European Union members, and Gulf Cooperation Council nations, calling for coordinated efforts to ensure the safety of navigation in the region. The government has also instructed its merchant navy and shipping authorities to monitor vessel movements closely and advise commercial operators about potential risks.
The Houthi movement, a Zaydi Shia rebel group based in Yemen, has carried out numerous attacks on maritime traffic in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden in recent years, often citing political grievances related to the conflict in Yemen and broader regional dynamics. While India has historically maintained a policy of non-interference in Yemen's internal affairs, the spillover effects on global trade and energy supplies have forced New Delhi to take a more visible diplomatic stance.
Analysts note that any sustained disruption to shipping through Bab-el-Mandeb could send ripple effects through global fuel markets, potentially driving up prices and creating supply bottlenecks for import-dependent economies like India. The Indian Navy has also been tasked with heightened vigilance in the region, working alongside international naval coalitions that have been deployed to protect commercial vessels from Houthi threats.
Government sources indicated that India continues to engage in quiet diplomacy with all sides, urging restraint and a return to dialogue as the only sustainable path forward.
