As Persian Gulf boils, Navy escorts Indian merchant vessels

New Delhi, June 22: The Indian Navy has deployed its warships in the Gulf of Oman and Persian Gulf amid heightened tensions after a US drone was shot down.

The deployment comes as a security measure and re-assurance to Indian vessels operating in the region.

"INS Chennai and INS Sunayna have been deployed in the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf to undertake maritime security operations," the Navy said in a statement . INS Chennai is a destroyer, while the INS Sunayna is an offshore patrol vessel.

The statement further read, "the Indian Navy launches Operation Sankalp in the Persian Gulf/Gulf of Oman to re-assure Indian flagged vessels transiting through the area following the recent maritime incidents in the region," the Navy said. The Information Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region, which was inaugurated by the Navy in December 2018 at Gurgaon, was also monitoring the movement of ships in the Gulf region."

This move was announced after US President Donald Trump declared that Iran made a very big mistake. Trump had even ordered a strike, but recalled his decisions after his generals told him that 150 people would die. He felt that the action was not proportionate to the towing of a drone.