India has expressed serious concern over the deteriorating security situation in the Red Sea region and the attempted drone attack near Saudi Arabia’s holy city of Mecca, warning that such incidents threaten regional peace and freedom of navigation through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

Addressing a bi-weekly media briefing in New Delhi on Friday, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India had condemned attacks on Saudi Arabia’s sovereign territory, including those targeting civilians, civilian infrastructure and economic assets.

“These attacks vitiate the regional security situation,” Jaiswal said, adding that they undermine regional peace and security and pose a threat to freedom of navigation through the Bab el-Mandeb.

He described the developments as “totally unacceptable” and called for an early restoration of peace and stability in the region.

Jaiswal also highlighted India’s concern over the drone incident near Mecca, stressing the city’s special religious significance for Muslims worldwide.

“We are deeply concerned at the drone attack near Makkah,” he said, reiterating India’s condemnation of attacks on Saudi territory and actions that endanger civilian lives and infrastructure.

According to the MEA, Saudi air defense forces intercepted and destroyed a hostile drone launched by the Houthis before it entered the prohibited airspace around Mecca.

India’s latest comments follow an escalation in hostilities involving Yemen’s Houthi group and Saudi Arabia. New Delhi has repeatedly called for restraint and stability while emphasizing the importance of keeping maritime routes open.

Jaiswal said External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar had also discussed regional and international developments, including the Houthi issue, with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit.

India has a significant interest in stability around the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb because the region is an important route for international shipping and energy supplies. Jaiswal noted that India continues to receive energy supplies from the region.

New Delhi has maintained that attacks affecting civilian populations, infrastructure and vital maritime routes could have wider consequences for regional security and global commerce.