Pirates of West Asia: Why Navy regards Gateway of Tears as critical

Given the complexity of the situation for New Delhi, analysts are recommending seizing the initiative and establishing hegemony or collective security in the Red Sea

The year is ending with the Indian Navy’s recovery of a Liberian flagged tanker, Motor Vessel Chem Pluto, which had apparently been attack­ed by an armed drone on Saturday after it crossed the West Asian straits and was entering the Arabian Sea. Given the recent spate of attacks on merchant shipping in the Arabian Sea, the navy announced the deployment of three guided missile destroyers — Indian Naval Ship (INS) Mormugao, INS Kochi and INS Kolkata — to maintain a deterrent presence. In addition, the navy’s P-8I Poseidon long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft are flying patrols over these waters in order