Indian Navy came to the rescue of an Iranian-flagged fishing vessel and rescued 19 crew members, including Pakistanis, after pirates attacked the ship.
Coincidentally, it was the second such effort by the Indian Navy warship INS Sumitra in the last 36 hours in the east of Somalia. The first rescue also involved an Iranian fishing vessel, Iman, on Monday.
In a similar action, the Indian Navy responded to the hijacking of a Sri Lankan fishing vessel in collaboration with Seychelles defence forces and the Sri Lanka Navy, officials said here on Tuesday. This action was also undertaken off Somalia.
Providing details, they said a hijacking incident was reported onboard the Sri Lankan-flagged multiday fishing trawler Lorenzo Putha 04 about 955 nautical miles east of Mogadishu, Somalia. Three pirates had boarded and hijacked the fishing trawler on January 27.
The Indian Navy deployed INS Sharada to locate and intercept the hijacked fishing vessel.
Additionally, efficient operational coordination and information sharing through the Sri Lanka and Seychelles International Liaison Officers at IFC IOR, New Delhi, resulted in the interception of the hijacked fishing vessel by SCGS Topaz in Seychelles EEZ on Monday.
The three pirates surrendered to the Seychelles Coast Guard (SCG), and all six crew members are safe, and the vessel is being escorted to Mahe, Seychelles.
Giving details about the latest action involving the Iranian vessel, Navy officials said INS Sumitra deployed for anti-piracy and maritime security operations in the east of Somalia and the Gulf of Aden, responding immediately to the distress call by vessel Al Naeemi.
In yet another successful anti-piracy operation off the East Coast of Somalia, INS Sumitra rescued the fishing vessel and its 19 crew members from 11 Somali pirates on Monday, Navy spokesperson Commander Vivek Madhwal said.
"INS Sumitra, over the course of less than 36 hours, through swift, persistent, and relentless efforts, has rescued two hijacked fishing vessels along with 36 crew (17 Iranian and 19 Pakistani) in the Southern Arabian Sea approximately 850 nautical miles West of Kochi," Madhwal said.
He said the Indian Navy has once again proved its commitment in the region to act against all maritime threats to ensure the safety of all mariners and vessels at sea.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday said India's greater capability, the country's current interests, and reputation today justify that it actually helps in difficult situations, in reference to the Indian Navy's deployment of warships in the Red Sea region to deal with attacks on merchant navy vessels.
The Indian Navy has deployed 10 of its ships in the region, Jaishankar said, responding to a question during an interaction with students at the Indian Institute of Management Mumbai.
"India's greater capability, our own interest, and our reputation today warrant that we actually help out in difficult situations," he said. Jaishankar said there is a problem of piracy as well as drone attacks on merchant navy ships in the Red Sea region.
"We will not be considered a responsible country if bad things are happening around our neighborhood, and we say I have got nothing to do with this. When you are in trouble, the neighbourhood will say the same," he said.
Jaishankar said in the last 10 years, India has developed a very powerful narrative and pointed to the naval deployment in the Red Sea region. In this context, he also referred to India's response to earthquakes in Turkey and its assistance to various other countries, including providing vaccines during Covid-19.
"It wasn't just a vaccine. We actually sent out doctors, including military doctors, to many countries in the Indian Ocean (during the Covid-19 pandemic), so that is where I make the connection with Ramayana," he said.
Asked whether India should "kinetically act" like the US and the UK to attacks, a reference to the counter-attacks launched by these two countries on the Houthi rebels in Yemen, Jaishankar said some countries made that choice.
"At the moment, our choice today is to contribute to the safety and security. We are doing a lot of non-kinetic contributions out there but independently because at the end of the day, we are an independent country," he said.
Last week, the Indian Navy contained a fire onboard MV Marlin Luanda, a commercial container oil tanker with 22 Indian crew in the Gulf of Aden, swiftly responding to a distress call from the vessel after it was struck by a missile on the key shipping route that witnessed similar attacks earlier. Since the rise in attacks on merchant navy vessels in the Red Sea, the Indian Navy has intensified its deployment in the region.
