The secretary of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, T K Ramachandran, declared on Wednesday that Indian maritime trade with the rest of the world will remain unaffected by the developments in the Red Sea. Due to the most recent strikes by the Houthis, who are located in Yemen, the situation in the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait—a vital shipping route that links the Mediterranean and Red Seas to the Indian Ocean—has become more intense.
When asked
if the changes in the Red Sea will affect the Indian marine commerce, he said, “No impact.” The strait, which accounts for thirty per cent of global container trade, has seen a rise in tensions in 2023 due to a number of incidents, including attacks and military manoeuvres by both regional and global countries.
The Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, popular in Arabic as the “Gate of Tears”, is a critical trade channel that links the Mediterranean Sea to the Indian Ocean via the Suez Canal and the Red Sea. It disconnects the Arabian Peninsula from Africa.