India on Tuesday, 15 September 2026, expressed deep concern over the escalating conflict in the Red Sea region, as the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) condemned fresh Houthi ballistic missile and drone strikes on Saudi Arabia and called for an early restoration of regional peace. The statement came amid a significant uptick in cross-border hostilities that New Delhi warned threatens both regional stability and global freedom of navigation.

What the MEA Said

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, speaking at a bi-weekly media briefing in New Delhi, confirmed that External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar had held talks with the Saudi Foreign Minister on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit, during which the Houthi threat featured prominently.

'We have condemned attacks on Saudi sovereign territory, including those targeting civilian infrastructure and economic assets. Such attacks undermine regional stability and threaten freedom of navigation through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait. These actions are obviously unacceptable to us,' Jaiswal said. He added that India continues to receive energy supplies from the region, underscoring New Delhi's direct economic stake in the crisis.

The Houthi Strike and Its Scale

Yemen's Houthi group announced on Monday that it had launched dozens of ballistic missiles and drones at King Khalid Air Base in Khamis Mushait, a southwestern Saudi city close to the Yemeni border. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree, in a statement carried by Houthi-run al-Masirah TV, claimed the strikes targeted fighter-jet hangars, radar systems, runways, and ammunition depots, describing the operation as 'precise and direct' and asserting it caused significant damage.

The assault represents a notable escalation in the widening cross-border confrontation between the Houthis and Riyadh, which has drawn increasing international attention given the strait's centrality to global shipping lanes.

Indian Nationals Caught in the Crossfire

The human cost for the Indian diaspora in Saudi Arabia came into sharp focus on Monday, when Consul General of India in Jeddah, Fahad Suri, visited Indian nationals undergoing treatment at Dr. Soliman Fakeeh Hospital in Jeddah. The nationals were among dozens injured in recent Houthi strikes on several Saudi cities, including Jazan.

The Consulate General of India in Jeddah — whose jurisdiction covers Mecca, Madinah, Yanbu, Taif, Tabuk, Qunfudah, AlBaha, Abha, Jizan, and Najran — confirmed on X that Suri 'enquired about their health and well-being, interacted with the patients, and assured them of the Consulate's full support and assistance.' The consulate added that it remains in close contact with hospital authorities and the affected nationals' family members.

India's Consistent Position and Strategic Stakes

This is not the first time India has condemned Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia. New Delhi has repeatedly called such strikes 'unacceptable', particularly when they target civilian infrastructure and economic assets. The Bab-el-Mandeb Strait — the narrow waterway at the southern tip of the Red Sea — is a critical chokepoint for Indian energy imports, with a significant share of the country's crude oil and LNG transiting the route. Any sustained disruption risks supply-chain shocks and upward pressure on fuel prices domestically.

Notably, the Jaishankar-Saudi FM meeting at the BRICS Summit signals that India is working diplomatic channels bilaterally even as it voices public concern — a calibrated approach consistent with New Delhi's broader West Asia policy of maintaining ties with all parties while taking clear positions on attacks that threaten its citizens and economic interests.

With no ceasefire in sight and Houthi rhetoric showing little sign of moderation, the trajectory of the Red Sea crisis will remain a key variable for Indian foreign policy and energy security in the weeks ahead.