India’s maritime trade: The escalating tensions in the Red Sea region, particularly around the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, will not adversely affect India's maritime trade activities with the global community, said T K Ramachandran, the Secretary of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, on Wednesday. 

The Bab-el-Mandeb Strait serves as a critical maritime corridor, linking the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea to the Indian Ocean. Recent incidents involving attacks by Houthi militants based in Yemen have heightened tensions in this strategic waterway, which handles approximately 30 per cent of worldwide container traffic.

Resilience of India’s maritime trade route

Despite a series of 2023 events, including military manoeuvres and attacks by both regional and international forces, Ramachandran remained confident about the resilience of India's maritime trade routes. Often referred to as the "Gate of Tears" in Arabic, the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait is geographically significant, separating the African continent from the Arabian Peninsula and serving as a pivotal conduit for international trade via the Red Sea and Suez Canal.

Ramachandran's assertion underlines India's preparedness to navigate geopolitical complexities.

(With PTI inputs)