The Role of Indian Navy amidst the Red Sea Crisis

By Aita Dey

Published on November 11, 2024

The regional crisis in West Asia and more particularly the attacks carried out by the Houthis, a Yemeni armed group, has had a direct impact on the commercial sea routes in the Red Sea, a crucial link between the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean. Amidst this growing uncertainty, the Indian Navy has undertaken calculated maritime strategies to protect not only its interest but also has emerged as a trusted security provider in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

The Sea Lanes of Communications (SLOCs) connect different parts of the world and are utilized for military, commercial, and logistical reasons. The Red Sea, Bab el-Mandeb, the Gulf of Aden, and the Suez Canal make up the SLOCs, which connects the continents of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Two important chokepoints on this route are the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Suez Canal. The Red Sea alone handles 10-15% of the global trade. In the first two months of 2024, Suez Canal trade dropped by 50% from a year earlier. Attacks on vessels in the Red Sea area reduced traffic through the Suez Canal, the shortest maritime route between Asia and Europe. Instead, several shipping companies diverted their ships around the Cape of Good Hope. This increased delivery time by 10 days or more on average, hurting companies with limited inventories.

As a response to the attacks on the commercial ships, the US and its allies established the Operation Prosperity Guardian consisting of 10 countries, namely – UK, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles and Spain. The core mandate of the initiative is to secure the commercial vessels and deter further Houthi attacks. The crisis has intensified to such an extent that it has been termed as the “most intense naval operation of the US since the World War II.”

India’s Trade Vulnerabilities amidst the Crisis

The littoral region of West Asia is considered as the ‘Western Plank’ of the IOR and as such, India has been invested in the safety and security of the sea-lanes and counter-piracy operation off the coast of Somalia.
The Houthi attacks and subsequent rerouting of the sea routes has had considerable impact on India’s maritime trade. According to a report by Global Trade Research Initiative, an India-based think-tank, “significant rise in shipping costs is affecting India's exports.” Agricultural products have a sectoral impact on trade with India. Due to delays and uncertainties, farmers exporting perishable items like grapes are facing considerable hurdles, while exporters of basmati rice are facing freight prices that have increased by 233%. Delays in the delivery of life-saving medications have impacted the Indian pharmaceutical business and put vital medical supplies at risk. Clothing manufacturers in the textile industry have complained about rerouting-related delays of up to two months for shipments to Europe, which has resulted in missed deadlines and penalties. Concerns over possible order cancellations have been raised by the weeks-long delays in the steel industry's exports to Europe and the West Asia. Rerouting has also caused delays in the transportation of petroleum products from India to Europe. Delays in the delivery of essential components like tires, engine parts, and electronics, as well as higher freight prices for imported raw materials like rubber, glass, and metals, have affected the Indian auto industry.

Indian Navy’s Response to the Escalating Crisis

Amidst this growing instability and violence, India has refrained from joining the US-led ‘Operation Prosperity Guardian’ but has not been a neutral bystander either to the crisis. The Indian Navy has initiated maritime security operations under the aegis of ‘Operation Sankalp’ to ensure the security of Indian ships and maritime routes. And almost silently, it has undertaken one of its largest deployments with 11 submarines and 12 warships in the sea to secure the western seaboard. In order to fill in the vacuum left by western naval forces from the Gulf of Aden to the Red Sea, the Indian Navy has deployed 10 warships to the eastern coast of Somalia, the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and the northern Arabian Sea to conduct anti-piracy operations and respond to ships struck by drones and missiles.
The Indian Navy sent out at least four warships in December 2023, equipped with Long-Range Maritime Patrol (LRMP) P8I surveillance aircraft, anti-submarine warfare-capable helicopters, The High-Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) MQ-9B Sea Guardian drones, Dornier aircrafts, and BrahMos land attack and surface-to-air missiles. The Indian Navy has also sent frontline destroyers and frigates to bolster its surveillance capabilities in the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden in response to the attacks on commercial vessels. Long-range maritime patrol aircraft and remotely piloted aircraft have improved their aerial surveillance capabilities to offer comprehensive Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA).

India’s Partnerships in the Region

This calibrated approach of the Indian Navy to the Red Sea crisis can be better explained by understanding India’s partnerships in West Asia. In contemporary geopolitics, India has strong bilateral relations with the major stakeholders of the region. UAE, Saudi Arabia and Iran are among the largest trade partners of India. To strengthen its economic relations with West Asian nations, India is now negotiating a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). India also aims to draw in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) from affluent Gulf countries, which have a lot of potential to invest in India across the sectors and produce reciprocal advantages. India has signed defence cooperation agreements with a number of regional nations, including Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). In recent times, Israel has become one of the most important defence partners of India.
The relationship with the Gulf countries has evolved from the 3E’S – Energy, Expatriates and Economy and has become more comprehensive and nuanced. With the use of new strategies, India's outreach to West Asia has evolved in recent years from bilateral to sub-regional and regional relations and has emerged as an important stakeholder in the region.

Apart from engaging with regional powers, India has also been engaging with external Western powers to ensure the security of the crucial maritime trade routes in West Asian waters.
In the Gulf of Oman and near waters, India has taken an active role in the US-led Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), which engages in cooperative patrols and operations to protect against terrorism and piracy. France and India have a solid bilateral collaboration in the IOR, where France maintains territory and a sizable naval presence. An agreement between the two nations allows for cooperative patrols to improve MDA and permits Indian access to French bases in the Western Indian Ocean, including Djibouti. Since 2008, India has partnered with western nations in conducting anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden. India and its western partners are also collaborating on emerging maritime technologies such as surveillance systems and AI-driven naval monitoring systems aimed to enhance MDA and better threat perception.  Therefore, it can be seen that India has undertaken a multi-pronged and multi-faceted approach towards increasing its strategic footprint in West Asia.

Conclusion

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR) agenda and the 2015 Maritime Security Document both doctrinally express India's maritime outlook, which is reflected in the country's naval response to the Red Sea situation. India's naval response showcases an astute maritime statecraft where India has refrained from engaging kinetically with the Houthis. The larger framework of India's multifaceted relationship with West Asia must be used to evaluate its attitude to the Houthi challenge. India is aware of the regional sensitivities surrounding the Palestinian issue and maintains solid bilateral connections with all of the major West Asian states. By expressing its capabilities and readiness to take on regional responsibilities, the Indian Navy is gradually proving in its role as a regional security provider that it can, not only protect its interests but also inspire confidence in neighbouring parties. The Indian Navy will remain vital to the IOR due to its strategic deployments, diplomatic reputation, and dedication to regional security.

*Aita Dey is a Research Intern at the Kalinga Institute of Indo-Pacific Studies (KIIPS). She is also a post-graduate student of International Relations and Strategic Studies at the School of International Relations and Strategic Studies, University of Mumbai.

Disclaimer: The Views in the Article are those of the Author

Image Credit: Associated Press