Confronting the threat of rising ship attacks, India deploys three warships in the Arabian Sea

The Indian Navy’s explosive ordnance disposal crew conducted a thorough investigation of the merchant vessel MV Chem Pluto upon its arrival in Mumbai harbour on Monday, two days after it was struck by a drone off India’s west coast in the Arabian Sea while on its route to New Mangalore port.

The Navy sent P-8I long-range patrol aircraft for observation, as well as warships INS Mormugao, INS Kochi, and INS Kolkata in the region to maintain a “deterrent presence,” authorities stated.

Saturday’s drone strike on the Liberian-flagged MV Chem Pluto comes amid growing fears about numerous commercial ships being targeted in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden by Iran-backed Houthi rebels during the Israel-Hamas conflict.

At 3:30 p.m., the Liberian-flagged vessel with 21 Indian and one Vietnamese crew parked in the outer anchorage outside Mumbai.

According to a Navy spokesperson, “On her arrival, the Indian Navy explosive ordnance disposal team inspected the vessel to make a preliminary assessment of the type and nature of attack. The analysis of the area of attack and debris found on the ship points towards a drone attack.”

“However, further forensic and technical analysis will be required to establish the vector of attack including type and amount of explosive used,” he said.

According to a Pentagon spokesperson, the MV Chem Pluto was attacked by a “one-way attack drone fired from Iran.”

According to an Indian Navy spokesperson, a collaborative inquiry by several authorities has begun following the conclusion of the vessel’s study by the explosive ordnance team.

“MV Chem Pluto has been cleared for further operation by her company-in-charge at Mumbai. The ship is scheduled to undergo mandatory checks by the various inspecting authorities before undertaking ship to ship transfer of cargo,” he added.

“This is likely to be followed by docking and repairs of the damaged portion of MV Chem Pluto,” he told the reporters.

MV Chem Pluto was transporting crude oil from Saudi Arabia to New Mangalore port

According to the official, three guided missile destroyers have been deployed in the Arabian Sea in response to a recent wave of attacks on commercial vessels in the region.

On Saturday, the MV Chem Pluto, which was transporting crude oil from Al Jubail port in Saudi Arabia to New Mangalore port, was hit around 217 nautical miles from Porbandar. The event caused no injuries.

“Considering the recent spate of attacks in the Arabian Sea, Indian Navy has deployed guided missile destroyers, INS Mormugao, INS Kochi and INS Kolkata, in various areas to maintain a deterrent presence,” stated a Navy officer.

He stated that long-range maritime reconnaissance P8I planes are often tasked with maintaining domain awareness.

“Western Naval Command’s Maritime Operations Centre is actively monitoring the situation in close coordination with Coast Guard and all concerned agencies,” he added in a statement.

Attacks carried out so far:

Yemen’s Houthi troops have recently targeted numerous commercial ships passing through the Bab el-Mandeb strait, opening a new front in the conflict between Israel and Hamas and complicating attempts by the US and its allies to control the vital commerce channel.

According to the US Central Command (CENTCOM), a Gabon-flagged crude oil tanker M.V Sai Baba with an Indian crew on its route to India was hit by a one-way attack drone in the Southern Red Sea, although no injuries were recorded.

“At approximately 8 p.m. (Sanaa time), U.S. Naval Forces Central Command received reports from two ships in the Southern Red Sea that they were under attack,” CENTCOM announced on Sunday on social networking site X. According to the report, the USS Laboon responded to distress calls from the assaults.

These are the 14th and 15th strike on commercial vessels carried out by Houthi rebels since October 17.

The other vessel is the m.v. BLAAMANEN, a Norwegian-flagged, owned, and operated chemical/oil tanker that had a close call with a Houthi one-way attack drone but suffered no injuries or damage.

Also on Saturday, two Houthi anti-ship ballistic missiles were launched from Houthi-controlled parts of Yemen towards international maritime routes in the Southern Red Sea, according to CENTOM, adding that no ships were hit by the ballistic missiles. The USS Laboon was patrolling in the Southern Red Sea as part of Operation Prosperity Guardian (OPG) between 3 and 8 p.m. (Sanaa time) and shot down four unmanned aerial drones coming from Houthi-controlled regions in Yemen that were inbound to the USS Laboon, according to the statement.

On the 9th of December, Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for a hit on the Norwegian tanker Strinda a day earlier off Yemen’s coast, as the Iranian ally increases strikes to disrupt cargo flows in retaliation to violence in Gaza. The increased risk of transporting cargo across the region has increased shipping prices and caused several governments to reconsider security measures to ensure safe passage.

In November, an Iran-backed gang hijacked the Galaxy Leader in Red Sea, claiming it was Israeli.

Members of the Houthi militia have previously vowed to attack Israeli ships in response to Israel’s conflict with Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Israel refuted the assertion, while the Japanese government stated that it was run by Nippon Yusen.

Why are Houthis attacking ships in the Red Sea?

The attacks began on October 7, following the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict.

The Houthis have reaffirmed their support for Hamas and threatened to attack any ship travelling to Israel. It is unclear if all of the ships targeted were on their way there.

They captured what they said was an Israeli cargo ship in November. They have since used drones and ballistic missiles to target multiple commercial ships.

As a result, the United States has organised an international naval operation to defend ships. Members include the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Bahrain, Norway, and Spain.

Mediterranean Shipping corporation, Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd, and the oil corporation BP have all stated that they are diverting vessels away from the Red Sea. Washington has accused Iran of being “deeply involved” in the planning of operations against commercial ships in the Red Sea.

According to the US and Saudi Arabia, Iran provided the ballistic missiles fired by the Houthis against the Saudi capital, Riyadh, in 2017, but which were shot down. Saudi Arabia also blamed Iran for providing the cruise missiles and drones used by the Houthis to target Saudi oil sites in 2019.

The Houthis have launched tens of thousands of short-range missiles into Saudi Arabia and have even struck sites in the UAE. Since the beginning of the Gaza conflict, they have also launched ballistic missiles and drones against Israel. Supplying these weapons would violate UN arms ban, Iran has denied the allegations.

To counter Houthi attacks on commercial ships, the US has lately formed a new multinational naval alliance that will act as a “highway patrol” to defend Red Sea trade. The US-led naval force, which was announced last Monday, would patrol “the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden to respond to and assist as necessary commercial vessels,” according to Major General Pat Ryder, who added that the effort will be sufficient to “reassure global shipping and mariners that they can safely transit the Red Sea area.”

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