'Must send strong response to ship attack'

90% of India's trade travels over the seas; keeping these lines open is vital: Indian Maritime Foundation vice president

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COMMODORE Anil Jai Singh (Retd) is Vice President Indian Maritime Foundation, an organisation of former naval and merchant marine officers with a goal to raise awareness about oceans and inspire maritime consciousness among people.

Mayank Singh speaks with the Commodore about the significance of the recent incidents of hijacking of MV Ruen, the reported drone attacks on MV Chem Pluto and MV Sai Baba; and how geopolitics will affect India.

There is a rise in maritime incidents involving the merchant vessels which includes a hijack and two incidents of attacks. What do these signify?

By introducing the maritime dimension into the conflict by Verb attacking merchant shipping in the Red Sea, the Israel-Hamas conflict has grabbed global attention. The longer this conflict, the more will be the involvement of groups such as the Houthis who are sympathetic to the Hamas' cause. Currently the conflict has been largely localised between Israel and Gaza, and there is no third country being directly involved in the conflict. With 90% of global trade travelling over the seas, any threat to its safe passage will start affecting countries across the globe. With the US and other navies deploying warships in the Red Sea to escort and protect merchant ships, there is a possibility of retaliation and consequently, the risk of escalation of the conflict.

How is it going to affect the maritime traffic in the Gulf of Aden, Red Sea, Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean?