Now Reading: MEA says 24×7 helplines active for Gulf seafarers
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MEA says 24×7 helplines active for Gulf seafarers
India’s external affairs ministry says its Gulf missions are running 24x7 helplines for Indian ships and seafarers amid rising regional tensions. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told a press briefing on Friday that…
The Story in Brief
India’s external affairs ministry says its Gulf missions are running 24×7 helplines for Indian ships and seafarers amid rising regional tensions. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told a press briefing on Friday that missions are in constant touch with the shipping ministry and local maritime authorities to provide support. He called on all parties to avoid targeting civilian infrastructure, commercial vessels and seafarers.
The statement follows the sinking of Indian-flagged vessel MSV Faize Noore Oliya in the Red Sea off Yemen after an attack by an explosives-laden boat. All 13 Indian nationals were rescued. Yemen’s NRF blamed the Houthis. India condemned the attack and urged restoration of free navigation in international waterways.
The Indian Opinion
The MEA’s promise of 24×7 helplines sounds reassuring, but the sinking of an Indian flagged vessel near Yemen shows the gap between readiness and reality. Officially, 13 crew were rescued, yet the attack itself, blamed on Houthis by Yemen’s NRF, raises questions about enforcement of safe passage. Instead of just helplines, will India push for a UN-backed maritime security corridor? The test is whether New Delhi can turn words into deterrence before more Indian ships become targets.
Source: siasat.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
