S Jaishankar, Omani Counterpart Discuss West Asia, Concerns About Red Sea

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held a telephonic conversation with his Omani counterpart Sayyid Badr Albusaidi on Monday and discussed the West Asia situation and the ongoing tensions in the Red Sea.

Both the ministers agreed to remain in close touch for further discussions.

"Appreciated the call from FM @badralbusaidi of Oman. Discussed the West Asia situation and concerns about the Red Sea. Agreed to remain in close touch," EAM Jaishankar posted on social media X.

Appreciated the call from FM @badralbusaidi of Oman.

Discussed the West Asia situation and concerns about the Red Sea. Agreed to remain in close touch.

The Houthis have been targeting the commercial ships in the Red Sea owned by Israeli companies or transporting goods to and from Israel in solidarity with Gaza.

The Houthi rebels, who are an Iran-aligned group, have said that they will not stop attacking until Israel ends the hostilities in Gaza.

Recently, the US and UK launched air and surface strikes, which also included fighter jets, against Houthi sites in Yemen.

The strikes on Houthis in Yemen come a day after the US carried out strikes in Syria and Iraq on Iranian-linked militia positions there.

Last week, amid the ongoing escalations in the Red Sea, the Ministry of External Affairs said that it is a matter of concern for India.

On being asked if India has discussed the situation in Red Sea with other major powers, and what is New Delhi's policy on the issue, the official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Randhir Jaiswal in a weekly presser on Thursday said, "It is a matter of concern, not just for us, but for several international players. We have been discussing this with our interlocutors...the French President was here, with Iran when our External Affairs Minister travelled there, and also with the UAE President when he was here."

The MEA spokesperson also highlighted that the Indian Navy is also active, and providing support to several vessels, not only in India but in other nations as well.

"You are also aware that the Indian Navy is active in this area, in the Gulf of Aden, in the Arabian Sea, and they have been providing support... to several vessels, not just Indian, but of other nations as well, and of course, supporting Indian sailors on them, which has been widely reported and widely appreciated," Jaiswal added.

He said threats to maritime commercial traffic also have a bearing on India's energy and economic interests.

Notably, Oman is a strategic partner of India in the Gulf and an important interlocutor at the Gulf Cooperation Council (AGCC), Arab League, and Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), the Ministry of External Affairs stated.

Oman also accords a high priority to its ties with India. The two countries across the Arabian Sea are linked by geography, history, and culture and enjoy warm and cordial relations, which are attributed to historical maritime trade linkages and the intimacy of the royal family with India.

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