New Delhi: International experts and prominent voices worldwide commended India for its swift response to a distress call in the Gulf of Aden. The Indian Navy's merchant vessel, INS Visakhapatnam, promptly intervened after the merchant vessel Marlin Luanda caught fire, suspected to be from a drone strike by Houthi rebels in Yemen.

While China, with a naval base in Djibouti near the incident area, did not respond, India's decisive action earned praise. Europe-based historian and researcher Martin Sauerbrey emphasized India's emergence, stating, "India takes over. Superpower rising...Stop drooling over China." British journalist Mark Urban expressed fascination at India's response compared to China's apparent inaction in the crisis.

Abhijit Iyer-Mitra, a foreign affairs expert, called out China for not securing shipping assets in the Arabian Sea, despite having a naval base in Djibouti. He noted, "India has been providing security to shipping in the Arabian Sea - while China, which has a base in Djibouti, is not."

The firefighting team of INS Visakhapatnam successfully controlled the fire on the merchant vessel Marlin Luanda, collaborating with the crew for six hours. The Indian Navy, along with US and French warships, responded to the distress call, exemplifying India's commitment to the safety of merchant shippers and seafarers.

The US Central Command reported that Houthi terrorists fired an anti-ship ballistic missile, hitting the Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker M/V Marlin Luanda. The vessel issued a distress call, and USS Carney and other coalition ships responded to render assistance, with no reported injuries at the time.

In summary, India's rapid and effective response in the face of a maritime crisis received international acknowledgment, contrasting with perceived inaction from other major players in the region.

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