The Indian Navy has sent more than 10 warships in addition to surveillance aircraft to assist merchant vessels travelling through the Gulf of Aden and central and northern areas of the Arabian Sea.
India says this is in response to attacks close to key special economic zones on the country’s western coast.
Global supply chains have been disrupted after attacks by Houthi rebels in Yemen and Somali pirates have forced shipping companies away from the Red Sea, one of the world’s busiest trade routes.
India’s decision will strengthen naval surveillance in the region and add to intensified patrols with other countries after Europe and the US sent frigates and warships to high-risk areas.
Our ships are deployed so our reaction time to any developing situation is minimised to ensure a better security environment for marine traffic
Commander Vivek Madhwal,
Indian Navy spokesman
“There has been a requirement to augment our surveillance and patrol efforts. From MV Ruen in December onwards we have continuously enhanced the presence of our warships in the region,” navy spokesman Commander Vivek Madhwal told The National, referring to the December hijacking of a Malta-flagged vessel with 18 crew in the Arabian Sea after a six-year lull in Somali piracy.
“Our ships are deployed so our reaction time to any developing situation is minimised to ensure a better security environment for marine traffic which is moving in and out of the region.
“These are regions of great importance. The Indian Navy continues to monitor the maritime security situation in the north and central Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
"Ships and aircraft remain mission deployed for enhanced surveillance and to undertake maritime security operations."
The Navy has sent guided missile destroyers including INS Kochi, INS Kolkota, INS Narmada, INS Chennai, INS Visakhapatnam and INS Mormugao and the frigate INS Talwar, as well as maritime reconnaissance aircraft and armed drones.
This is in addition to long-range surveillance patrol aircraft and helicopters attached to warships.
Too close to key economic zones
There will be a further deployment of destroyers and frigates after “increased maritime security incidents on merchant vessels transiting through international shipping lanes”, India’s Defence Ministry said.
Over the past two months, commandos and naval officers have intervened to assist cargo and container ships in at least four piracy and drone attacks.
The ministry said the pirate attack on MV Ruen was about 1,300km from the Indian coast and the drone attack on MV Chem Pluto about 400km from India’s south-west coast, indicating “a shift in maritime incidents closer to the Indian EEZ [exclusive economic zone]".
The drone that struck MV Chem Pluto, a Liberian-flagged, Japanese-owned chemical tanker travelling from Saudi Arabia to India sparked a fire onboard on December 23.
The Indian Navy said it responded quickly to ensure the crew of 21 Indians and a Vietnamese sailor were safe and escorted the vessel to Mumbai to repair damage to the ship.
The navy has said it is committed to being a “first responder” in the region to ensure “the safety of merchant shipping, along with international partners and friendly foreign countries”.
During the MV Ruen hijacking, naval forces removed an injured sailor from the vessel. The sailor was hurt during the pirate attack and was transferred by the navy to Oman for medical attention.
In the most recent piracy incident, on January 5, the navy intercepted Liberian-flagged bulk carrier MV Lila Norfolk, compelling the pirates to flee, and freed 21 crew on board.
“Within a couple of hours of the incident being reported, we had an aircraft overhead, established communication and issued the necessary warnings,” Commander Madhwal said.
“This is something that highlights the presence and operational tempo the Indian Navy is operating under right now.”
High-risk areas widen
The presence of multinational naval forces helped curtail the spread of Somali piracy that from 2008 surged for more than a decade.
The high-risk areas during that time expanded eastwards from Bab Al Mandeb – the strait between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden – towards India. The pirates were gradually pushed back through the sustained presence and efforts of multinational forces around the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Navy in the Arabian Sea.
During the height of piracy the Indian Navy, like other forces, escorted merchant vessels through dangerous waters.
Asked if the navy would do so again, Commander Madhwal said: “Our ships are fully ready to carry out escort where there is higher risk of piracy or hijacking attempts.
“The Indian Navy has provided escort in the past and these measures can be undertaken as and when required.”
Houthi attacks hit $3 billion worth Indian exports each month
The Houthi rebels in Yemen have stepped up attacks on shipping after the outbreak of the Israel-Gaza war in October.
The attacks led the US to launch Operation Prosperity Guardian, a naval coalition of 20 countries including the UK, Canada, Greece and Denmark.
India is one of the countries, including France and Italy, that are part of existing international naval operations, and have sent warships to the region and enhanced surveillance to protect shipping routes, but have not formally joined the US coalition.
The Houthis have targeted vessels transporting goods through Bab Al Mandeb and the Red Sea to reach Egypt’s Suez Canal.
The fear of attacks has led shipping companies to divert vessels to a much longer route around the Cape of Good Hope, adding about 10 days to the journey, and pushing up costs by billions of dollars.
The additional distance has resulted in increasing freight rates and delays to consignments.
“Ships are not operating in the Red Sea and instead going through the longer route and this is affecting the entire supply chain both for exports and the imports,” said Ajay Sahai, director general of the Federation of Indian Export Organisations.
“This has an impact on freight costs, [while] the availability of vessels and containers may also come under pressure because entire shipping schedules have gone haywire.”
He estimates the effect to be about $3 billion a month on Indian exporters due to the delays.
“All the sailings expected this week have been postponed by a minimum of two to three weeks,” Mr Sahai said.
“This kind of disruption at a time when we are already having huge global headwinds is bound to have an impact on trade.
“There may be an impact of about $3 billion every month with a rolling over of exports that have been delayed in January and will now come in during February.
“Imports that were supposed to land in India in the second half of December will now land in January.”
Restoring confidence
The Bab Al Mandeb, just 32 kilometres wide, is a vulnerable point for ships passing Yemen's coast along the route from the Indian Ocean to the Red Sea and on to the Suez Canal.
Millions of barrels of oil are shipped daily along this route, as well as container ships stacked with consumer goods.
“For India, a lot of petroleum products to Europe go through this route and it’s used to export cereal, basmati and non-basmati rice,” Mr Sahai said.
“Containers carrying engineering goods, textiles and footwear also pass through the strait.”
With the security situation in the Red Sea still uncertain, Indian exporters are holding back on sending about 25 per cent of their cargo shipments that would normally have passed through the Red Sea.
“We are already seeing a dip in exports and imports,” Mr Sahai said.
Despite the increased protection from naval forces, it will take time to restore the confidence of shipping companies, Mr Sahai said.
It also remains to be seen whether the US and UK strikes on the Houthis' attack capabilities on Friday will halt their attacks.
“Countries' navies are providing security, protecting territorial waters and we hope there will be a solution soon,” Mr Sahai said.
“But once there is a disruption, it will take roughly another 45 to 60 days to bring things to normal.
“Companies will not start operations all together on one day, some may come forward, some may say let us watch and if there is no incident in 10 days then we will take a call.”
“It will take much more time to restore confidence in shipping lines.”
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
EPL's youngest
- Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal)
15 years, 181 days old
- Max Dowman (Arsenal)
15 years, 235 days old
- Jeremy Monga (Leicester)
15 years, 271 days old
- Harvey Elliott (Fulham)
16 years, 30 days old
- Matthew Briggs (Fulham)
16 years, 68 days old
Wonka
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Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
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Price: From Dh650,000
The Brutalist
Director: Brady Corbet
Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn
Rating: 3.5/5
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
RedCrow Intelligence Company Profile
Started: 2016
Founders: Hussein Nasser Eddin, Laila Akel, Tayeb Akel
Based: Ramallah, Palestine
Sector: Technology, Security
# of staff: 13
Investment: $745,000
Investors: Palestine’s Ibtikar Fund, Abu Dhabi’s Gothams and angel investors
CHATGPT%20ENTERPRISE%20FEATURES
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Results
Stage 7:
1. Caleb Ewan (AUS) Lotto Soudal - 3:18:29
2. Sam Bennett (IRL) Deceuninck-QuickStep - same time
3. Phil Bauhaus (GER) Bahrain Victorious
4. Michael Morkov (DEN) Deceuninck-QuickStep
5. Cees Bol (NED) Team DSM
General Classification:
1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates - 24:00:28
2. Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers - 0:00:35
3. Joao Almeida (POR) Deceuninck-QuickStep - 0:01:02
4. Chris Harper (AUS) Jumbo-Visma - 0:01:42
5. Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education-Nippo - 0:01:45
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War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
Company%20Profile
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How much of your income do you need to save?
The more you save, the sooner you can retire. Tuan Phan, a board member of SimplyFI.com, says if you save just 5 per cent of your salary, you can expect to work for another 66 years before you are able to retire without too large a drop in income.
In other words, you will not save enough to retire comfortably. If you save 15 per cent, you can forward to another 43 working years. Up that to 40 per cent of your income, and your remaining working life drops to just 22 years. (see table)
Obviously, this is only a rough guide. How much you save will depend on variables, not least your salary and how much you already have in your pension pot. But it shows what you need to do to achieve financial independence.
