New Delhi, In a significant development, the United States has extended an invitation to India to join the multi-national naval coalition, Operation Prosperity Guardian. This coalition, operating under the Combined Maritime Forces, aims to counter threats posed by Yemen’s Houthi militants in the Red Sea. The Houthi attacks on vessels passing through the Red Sea route since November have prompted concerns, leading to the formation of this coalition.
The coalition’s primary objectives include ensuring maritime security and safeguarding global shipping routes, which have increasingly become targets of Houthi attacks. Notably, more than 40 countries, including the UK, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles, and Spain, have already joined the United States in condemning the Houthi attacks.
Two India-linked vessels, MV Chem Pluto and MV Sai Baba, were targeted by drone strikes in late December, further highlighting the urgency of addressing the security challenges in the region. Operation Prosperity Guardian is part of a broader effort to defend the freedom of navigation in the vital waterways of the Red Sea.
While India is a member of the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), it has exercised caution in accepting the US invitation to join Operation Prosperity Guardian. Similar to France and Italy, India has preferred maintaining an independent naval presence in the region rather than joining a US-led maritime coalition to combat Houthi threats.
Analysts suggest that India may be concerned about potential escalation in hostilities following the counterattack by US naval forces. The Indian Navy has responded to the attacks on shipping vessels near Indian coasts by enhancing maritime surveillance in the Arabian Sea and deploying destroyers and frigates to ensure security in the area.
The deliberations between India and the US on this matter remain undisclosed, but the invitation underscores the growing collaboration between the two countries on regional security issues.
