Indian Navy steps up warship deployment near Gulf of Oman amid West Asia tensions

The Indian Navy has increased warship deployment near the Gulf of Oman and is escorting Indian-flagged vessels through the Strait of Hormuz amid rising tensions in West Asia, ensuring maritime security and safe passage of ships in sensitive routes

New Delhi: The Indian Navy has increased the deployment of its warships near the Gulf of Oman and is escorting Indian-flagged ships coming from the Strait of Hormuz region amid heightened tensions in West Asia that have raised concerns over global energy security.

According to government sources, Indian-flagged tankers continue to pass through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz and reach Indian ports under naval escort. The vessels Shivalik, Nanda Devi, and Jag Ladki have already arrived safely at Indian ports after being escorted by the Indian Navy.

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The deployment has been enhanced under the Navy’s “mission-based deployment” framework, under which at least one warship has remained stationed near the Gulf of Oman since 2017. However, considering the current security situation, the Navy has increased its presence in the region.

Sources said the number of warships in the area was initially raised from one to three and has now been increased further, although the exact number has not been disclosed. These warships are primarily tasked with escorting Indian-flagged ships through sensitive maritime routes and ensuring their safe passage to secure waters.

The government also said that at present, 22 Indian vessels are located west of the Strait of Hormuz.

Under the mission-based deployment framework, the Indian Navy maintains a continuous presence in six different maritime regions around the world. The deployment system has been in operation since 2017 to enhance maritime security and ensure a swift response to emerging threats.

Two major naval operations are also underway near the Gulf of Oman and the Gulf of Aden under this framework. While “Operation Sankalp” is being conducted in the Gulf of Oman to ensure the safety of merchant shipping, an anti-piracy operation continues in the Gulf of Aden.

At an inter-ministerial press conference on the situation in West Asia, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the Indian Navy remains present in the region primarily for anti-piracy missions and is supporting several initiatives linked to maritime security.

He added that further details about the Navy’s operational support would be provided by the Ministry of Defence.

Apart from the Gulf of Oman and the Gulf of Aden, other mission-based deployments include a naval presence near Seychelles to secure ships travelling along the Cape of Good Hope route and counter piracy threats. Additional deployments are maintained near the Maldives, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and in the Bay of Bengal near the Myanmar-Bangladesh maritime region.

During these deployments, Indian naval ships also conduct exercises with friendly foreign navies and undertake humanitarian assistance, relief and rescue operations in the event of piracy incidents or maritime accidents.