Days after merchant ships was attacked off India’s coast, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said India's “growing economic and strategic power” has filled “some forces with jealousy and hatred.”
Singh said the government has taken the recent drone attack on merchant ship—'MV Chem Pluto' in the Arabian Sea and the attack on 'MV Sai Baba' in the Red Sea a few days ago "very seriously".
Speaking at the Commissioning Ceremony of ‘INS Imphal’ in Mumbai, Singh said India has intensified patrolling of seas after recent attacks on merchant navy ships.
He added that India will ensure maritime trade in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) achieves new heights.
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"India is in the role of Net Security Provider in the entire IOR(Indian Ocean Region).We will ensure that the maritime trade in this region rises from the sea to the heights of the sky. For this, together with friendly countries, we will keep the Sea Lanes safe and secure for maritime commerce," he said.
"The Indian Navy has increased surveillance of the sea. Whoever has carried out this attack, we will find them even from the seabed and strict action will be taken against them," he added as per PTI.
Singh comments came after the Liberian-flagged and Japanese-owned MV Chem Pluto, with 20 Indian and one Vietnamese crew member, caught fire after it was attacked by a suspected drone of India's coast on December 23. It was later secured by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) Vikram and docked at Mumbai port.
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Besides, in the Red Sea, Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels carried out a string of drone and missile attacks in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, where Israel is battling Hamas militants. The US Central Command said the vessel, MV Sai Baba, was targeted by a drone launched by Houthi militants in the Southern Red Sea on Saturday, December 23.
