In response to an attack on the Israel-affiliated merchant vessel MV Chem Pluto off the Indian coast, India's navy announced the deployment of guided missile destroyer ships in the Arabian Sea to "maintain a deterrent presence." The nature of the attack, suspected to be a drone strike, is under investigation, with further forensic and technical analysis required. While the Pentagon attributed the attack to a drone launched from Iran, a spokesperson for Iran's foreign ministry called the U.S. claim "baseless."

The deployment of Indian Navy's INS Mormugao, INS Kochi, and INS Kolkata aims to address the escalating challenges in the Arabian Sea, and a joint investigation is underway involving various agencies. The vessel, docked in Mumbai, had a crew of 21 Indians and one Vietnamese citizen.