The multinational exercise, taking place at Jodhpur Air Force Station in Rajasthan, around 200km from the Pakistan border, runs from 26 September until 12 October and has brought together air forces from more than 40 nations, including active participants from the United States, Australia, France, Germany, the United Arab Emirates, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
Strongly denouncing the attack, New Delhi called the ongoing assault on commercial vessels in the area a grave worry.
The most recent incident occurs in the midst of a deteriorating maritime security situation outside the Strait of Hormuz, where attacks on commercial vessels have dramatically increased since the US-led blockade and the failure of Iran-US peace negotiations.
In the first week of October alone, at least seven tanker attacks were reported.After Iran declared on September 9 that it had attacked ten ships close to the key chokepoint in retaliation for the US sinking five Iranian oil tankers, tensions in the area escalated.
.The number of Indian seamen caught in the crossfire has increased
.The number of Indian seamen caught in the crossfire has increasedMore recently, on September 23, the cargo ship MV Cape Dao, flying the flag of Antigua and Barbuda, was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, killing Indian sailor Suraj Yadav.
.The number of Indian seamen caught in the crossfire has increasedConnecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, the Strait of Hormuz continues to be one of the most significant maritime routes in the world.
Any interruption to transportation over the strait has the potential to raise the price of oil globally, delay the delivery of energy, and raise freight and insurance expenses.
Despite diversifying its energy procurement strategy to lessen reliance on suppliers whose exports cross the Strait of Hormuz, India is still heavily exposed to changes in global energy prices and high shipping costs.
.The number of Indian seamen caught in the crossfire has increasedThe attack on MT On Peace emphasizes the ongoing danger Indian sailors operating in the area face as well as the increasing risks facing foreign shipping in one of the world’s most strategically significant maritime lanes.
