Indian Navy Deploys Guided Missile Destroyers In Arabian Sea

Indian Navy officers stand on the deck of INS Mormugao, a stealth guided-missile destroyer ship of Project 15B, during its commissioning ceremony, in Mumbai, India, December 18, 2022.
Indian Navy officers stand on the deck of INS Mormugao, a stealth guided-missile destroyer ship of Project 15B, during its commissioning ceremony, in Mumbai, India, December 18, 2022.

Following a recent drone attack launched from Iran on a merchant vessel off the Indian coast, India's navy will deploy guided missile destroyers in the Arabian Sea.

The deployment has been treated as a proactive measure aimed at "sustaining a deterrent presence." The Pentagon statement Saturday said the Chem Pluto, "a Liberia-flagged, Japanese-owned, and Netherlands-operated chemical tanker" had been targeted by "a one-way attack drone fired from Iran", raising alerts in the region which has become a flashpoint since Iran-backed Houthis announced they would attack all vessels in the Red Sea and surrounding area.

The Yemenis' announcement was made in the wake of the Gaza war, the Iran-backed Yemeni proxy aligning with Hamas in the wake of its war on Israel. Responding to the latest incident so close to its shores, the Indian Navy has deployed guided missile destroyers, including INS Mormugao, INS Kochi, and INS Kolkata.

The MV Chem Pluto, arrived in Mumbai on Monday, prompting an ongoing investigation by the Indian navy. Preliminary findings point to a drone attack on Saturday, and the navy has highlighted the need for further forensic and technical analysis to determine specific details, such as the type and quantity of explosive used.

A collaborative investigation into the attack is currently underway, involving various agencies, subsequent to the comprehensive analysis conducted by the navy's explosive ordnance team. The vessel's crew consisted of 21 Indians and one Vietnamese citizen.

On Monday, Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson refuted the US claim attributing the ship's attack to Iran, dismissing it as "baseless." The US has formed a more than 20-member coalition to protect the Red Sea which is the world's biggest oil passageway in a bid to calm tensions.