Gaza heats up Red Sea, Modi and Saudi crown prince MbS speak: Need peace, security in region

A statement by the Prime Minister’s Office added: “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.”

“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,” it said.

Held a good conversation with my Brother HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud on the future of Strategic Partnership between India and Saudi Arabia. We exchanged views on the West Asia situation and shared concerns regarding terrorism, violence and the loss of…

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 26, 2023

According to the PMO, the leaders reviewed progress in bilateral Strategic Partnership in follow-up to the State visit of the Crown Prince to India in September 2023, and they also discussed the forward-looking bilateral partnership agenda for the future.

MbS, as the Crown Prince is popularly known, was in India for the G20 Leaders’ Summit and was hosted for a day-long State visit after the Summit.

During the phone conversation Tuesday, the Prime Minister, according to the statement, conveyed greetings to Saudi Arabia on being selected as host for Expo 2030 and FIFA Football World Cup 2034. “The two leaders agreed to remain in touch,” it said.

Last week, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called up Prime Minister Modi and briefed him on the recent developments in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.

The merchant vessel MV Chem Pluto, with 21 Indian crew members, was struck by a drone about 217 nautical miles from Porbandar last Saturday following which the Indian Navy and the Coast Guard deployed a number of assets to provide assistance to the ship.

A Gabon-flagged commercial crude oil tanker with 25 Indian crew members also came under attack in the southern Red Sea.

According to Navy officers, four destroyers have been deployed to counter piracy and drone attacks on merchant ships. P-8I aircraft, Dorniers, Sea Guardians, helicopters and Coast Guard ships have been deployed jointly to counter the threats of piracy and drone attacks.

As Iranian-backed Houthi militants in Yemen stepped up attacks on vessels in the Red Sea, India last week said it has been “supportive of the free movement of commercial shipping”.

The Houthi militants, who control vast amounts of territory in Yemen after years of war, have been using drones and missiles to target international vessels sailing through the Red Sea, calling it a response to Israel’s assault on the Gaza Strip.

The attacks, targeting a route that allows East-West trade, especially of oil, have forced some shipping companies to reroute vessels