China, Iran and Russia stage joint naval drills in the Gulf of Oman

Subject: IR

Section: Places in news

Context:

The navies of China, Iran, and Russia have initiated their fifth joint military drills in the Gulf of Oman amid escalating regional tensions, including Israel’s conflict with Gaza and Houthi rebel attacks on Red Sea shipping.

“Maritime Security Belt – 2024”:

These exercises are aimed at protecting maritime economic activities, with a focus on regional maritime security, combatting piracy, and maritime terrorism.
Participating vessels include Russia’s Varyag cruiser and Marshal Shaposhnikov frigate, and China’s guided-missile destroyer Urumqi, guided-missile frigate Linyi, and comprehensive supply ship Dongpinghu.
Azerbaijan, India, Kazakhstan, Oman, Pakistan and South Africa are observer countries.
Concurrently, a US-led naval coalition is addressing Houthi assaults in the Red Sea, while NATO conducts extensive drills in Northern Europe, showcasing its defence capabilities, particularly against Russia.

Places in the news:

Gulf of Oman: The Gulf of Oman or Sea of Oman, also known as Gulf of Makran or Sea of Makran, is a gulf that connects the Arabian Sea with the Strait of Hormuz, which then runs to the Persian Gulf. It borders Iran and Pakistan on the north, Oman on the south, and the United Arab Emirates on the west.
Red Sea: The Red Sea is a sea inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Its connection to the ocean is in the south, through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden. To its north lie the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez (leading to the Suez Canal). It is underlain by the Red Sea Rift, which is part of the Great Rift Valley.
- Countries sharing a border with the Red Sea are Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Egypt, Eritrea, Yemen, and