External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and his US counterpart Antony Blinken held a telephonic conversation on Thursday to discuss maritime security challenges, particularly in the Red Sea region, which has been under constant attack by Iran-backed Houthi rebels.
The two leaders also discussed the developments in the Ukraine conflict and the ongoing situation in the Middle East, including Gaza.
Meanwhile, in response to the Red Sea crisis, the Commerce Ministry of India has called for an inter-ministerial meeting next week to strategize measures for addressing the impact on trade. The discussions aim to minimize trade disruptions caused by the crisis.
The frequent rebel attacks have caused global logistics challenges and significantly affected maritime cargo movement, including dry bulk, oil, and merchandise cargo dependent on the Suez Canal and the Red Sea. The current situation has implications for India’s Export-Import trade, as Indian exports to Europe and the West, which transit through the Red Sea route, include a significant amount of commodities like agro-products, steel, engineering goods, automobiles, textiles, and chemicals.