‘Freedom of the seas’: US lawmaker asks India to play ‘bigger naval role’ amid Hormuz crisis- Moneycontrol.com
India keeps strategic autonomy, shuns formal naval alliances
Washington has called on India to play a greater military and naval role in ensuring freedom of navigation in the seas, as the West Asia conflict continues to disrupt global shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Bill Huizinga, Republican Congressman from Michigan and chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on South and Central Asia, made the remarks in a clip posted by news agency IANS.
"I think we need to look at how India can be an influence in that region of the world with its military, with its Navy. Certainly, as we're seeing the importance of the ability to have the freedom of the seas," Huizinga said.
The congressman acknowledged ongoing trade friction between the two countries but said the broader relationship remained strong. "We've had some tough conversations about trade and what that future economic relationship is like, but we need to work through that," he said.
Huizinga also described China as a 'malign actor' that has sought to restrict or control world trade, underscoring the strategic context in which he sees India's naval role.
India has already taken steps to secure its own shipping in the region. The Indian Navy launched Operation Urja Suraksha in March to guide Indian-flagged vessels carrying crude oil and LPG out of the Persian Gulf. India and Pakistan have also deployed destroyers to escort tankers in the Gulf of Oman.
However, India has so far stopped short of joining any formal multinational naval coalition in the strait, maintaining its position of strategic autonomy while engaging diplomatically with both the United States and Iran.
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