Amid escalating tensions in the Gulf region, which is crucial for India’s energy security, the Indian Navy is considering deploying small teams on board large crude carriers passing through the region.
The proposal is currently under discussion among various stakeholders, official sources said.
“The proposal was discussed on Friday in a meeting between the Navy, Directorate General of Shipping and the Indian Ship Owners’ Association. Discussions are still ongoing and the exact modalities will depend on the outcome,” a defence official said on Saturday.
The proposal is to have small Navy teams comprising an officer and personnel on all energy-carrying platforms — ultra large crude carriers and very large crude carriers — to advise on protection measures, another defence source said.
The teams will be deployed on transiting crude carriers depending on the necessity, the source added.
Last week, after a series of attacks on ships transiting through the Persian Gulf, the Navy deployed two ships in the region, destroyer INS Chennai and offshore patrol vessel INS Sunayna , under Operation Sankalp to “re-assure Indian-flagged vessels operating/transiting through Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman”.
This is in addition to the aerial surveillance in the area by Navy aircraft. The Information Fusion Centre (Indian Ocean Region), which was opened by the Navy in Gurugram last December, is keeping a close watch on the movement of ships in the Gulf region, the Navy has stated.
Protection advisory
Also, Director-General of Shipping issued advisories on June 13 and 16 to all Indian-flagged vessels operating in the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian/Arabian Gulf region to undertake “appropriate protection measures”.
Tensions in the region have mounted following the spat between Iran and the U.S. and peaked after an advanced U.S. unmanned drone was shot down by Iran.
Tehran alleged it violated its airspace. Much of India’s energy needs is sourced from the Gulf region and any potential disruption would have an adverse impact on the economy.
