“Obviously Unacceptable”: India Condemns Houthi Strikes On Saudi Arabia

New Delhi: India has strongly condemned the recent Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, warning that strikes targeting civilian infrastructure and economic assets could further destabilise the region and threaten the safety of international shipping.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India was particularly concerned about the worsening security situation in the Red Sea region and its possible impact on freedom of navigation through the Bab-el-Mandeb strait.
Jaiswal said External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had discussed the developments with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud during a meeting held on the sidelines of the BRICS summit on Sunday. The Houthi attacks were among the issues discussed during the meeting.
India has condemned the strikes on Saudi sovereign territory, including attacks affecting civilian infrastructure and economic installations. Jaiswal said such actions threaten regional stability and create risks for shipping through one of the world’s key maritime routes.
The Iran-backed Houthi group has targeted Saudi energy infrastructure, including the East-West oil pipeline, an important route for transporting crude. The pipeline has gained greater importance as disruptions linked to the wider regional conflict have affected shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
The latest attacks have also raised concerns over the Bab-el-Mandeb, a strategic maritime passage between the Arabian Peninsula and the Horn of Africa. The waterway connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea and is a major route for global trade and energy shipments.
India has also expressed concern over attacks on commercial vessels in the region. Jaiswal said an Indian national remains missing after an attack on a Panama-flagged ship off the coast of Oman.
The vessel was carrying 14 Indian nationals. Thirteen have been rescued with assistance from Omani authorities, while search and rescue efforts continue for the remaining crew member.
India said the targeting of commercial shipping, seafarers, civilians and civilian infrastructure was unacceptable and called for the restoration of safe navigation and uninterrupted commercial movement through international waterways in the region.
Jaiswal also said India continues to receive energy supplies from the region and expressed hope that peace and stability would be restored at the earliest.