Indian Navy warships escort oil tankers through Bab-el-Mandeb amid Red Sea security concerns

Indian Navy warships INS Trishul and INS Aditya escorted crude oil tankers MT Compass and MT Thalata through the waters near the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait amid heightened security concerns in the Red Sea.

In a post on X, the Navy’s Western Command said that the two warships escorted the tankers through the high-risk area near Bab-el-Mandeb on August 9-10, 2026.

The Navy also shared photographs showing the warships sailing alongside the oil tankers, with a naval helicopter monitoring the operation from above.

The deployment comes as India faces renewed security challenges in the Red Sea following the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz.

The Indian Navy has stepped up its presence in vulnerable maritime zones and is providing escorts to commercial vessels carrying crude oil and other essential goods to deter piracy and protect shipping.

The security concerns have intensified following an attack on an Indian-flagged vessel in the Red Sea.

On August 4, the Indian-flagged commercial vessel MSV Faize Noore Oliya sank about 13 nautical miles south of Hodeidah, Yemen, after being struck by an unprovoked projectile.

All 14 crew members, including 13 Indian nationals and one Yemeni national, were safely rescued by Yemeni forces and taken to Mokha.

The latest naval deployment also comes against the backdrop of escalating tensions involving Yemen’s Houthi rebels, who have previously targeted commercial shipping in the Red Sea.

The Bab-el-Mandeb Strait is a crucial maritime chokepoint connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and serves as a key route for international trade and energy shipments.

During the Strait of Hormuz crisis amid the US-Iran war, Saudi Arabia also used the Bab-el-Mandeb route to transport oil to India.

However, the route remains vulnerable to attacks by Houthi rebels, prompting the Indian Navy to maintain heightened vigilance and escort vulnerable vessels.

With inputs from agencies