Red Sea situation: Centre keeping a close watch, says Sonowal

The Indian Navy patrolling the area will ensure that the nation’s interests are not impacted, the Minister says

Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister of Ports Shipping and Waterways and Ayush, Government of India, and Anatoly Bobrakov, Deputy Minister for the development of The Russian Far East and Arctic, interacts during press meet at India- Russia Workshop Operationalisation of the Eastern Maritime Corridor, in Chennai on Wednesday. Also seen are (From Left) Sunil Paliwal, Chairperson Chennai Port and Chairman Kamarajar Port Limited, Ramachandran, Secretary,Ministry of Ports Shipping and Waterways, Government of India, Oleg Avdeev, Consul General of the Russian Federation in Chennai, Republic of India, in Chennai on Wednesday. | Photo Credit: R. Ravindran

Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways and AYUSH, Sarbananda Sonowal on January 24 said that the Government of India was keeping a close watch on the situation that is unfolding in that Red Sea region.

Addressing presspersons here after inaugurating the India-Russia Workshop for Operationalisation of the Eastern Maritime Corridor, the Minister said that it was a matter of grave concern to us and the country gave a lot of importance to freedom of navigation and commerce. The Indian Navy, he said, was patrolling the area and doing its best to secure sea lanes so that the nation’s interests are not impacted.

Earlier, at the workshop, Mr. Sonowal said that Indian seafarers were likely to be trained in navigating the Arctics as part of the collaborations with Russia. Explaining the advantages of the Vladivistok-Chennai marine corridor, he said that it would help cut down travel time and fuel costs since it is a shorter distance than other corridors.

Anatoly Yuryevich Bobrakov, Deputy Minister for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic of the Russian Federation, said there has been over $130 billion investment already in Russia in the oil and gas sectors. Russia saw India as its strategic partner and was working closely to further deepen bilateral ties through enhanced trade relations, he added.

T.K. Ramachandran, Secretary, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, said that a total of 35 delegates from Russia and 100 from India took part in the deliberations. For now, five areas have been identified — coking coal, crude, fertilizers, freight containers and LNG.

Sunil Paliwal, Chairperson of Chennai Port Authority and Chairman of Kamarajar Port Ltd., said that all Eastern Ports and minor ports, including those from Karaikal and Krishnapattinam, were part of the discussions. The corridor was already operational, the talks were being held to see how else to increase the trade.

Oleg Avdeev, Consul General of the Russian Federation in Chennai, Republic of India, emphasized that the decades-long bilateral relationship between India and Russia was based on the three pillars of continuity, trust and mutual understanding.