OPERATION SANKALP

Syllabus Section: Government Initiatives (GS Paper II)

Importance: UPSC Prelims and UPSC mains

Why in News?

Recently, INS Trikand has been deployed by the Indian Navy in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, as part of Operation Sankalp.

About:

• Operation Sankalp was started in 2019 after there were explosions in oil tanker ships in the Gulf of Oman amid tensions between Iran and the US
• Since then, an Indian Navy ship with an integral helicopter embarked has been continuously deployed in the north-west Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman and Persian Gulf.

Need of the Operation:

• India is dependent for about 85% of its demand for oil on imports.

• In 2019-2020, around 62% of India’s oil imports valued at approximately $66 billion came from the Gulf region

• Operation Sankalp ensure safety of India's Mercantile Marine in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.
• This operation will help India in building a strategic bilateral relationship and enhancing maritime security in the region.

Source: The Hindu