Somali operated Pirate ship capture showcases India’s world-class special forces capabilities for its Indian Navy, global military strategists say - Ashe N Ayer
Indian Navy’s dramatic rescue of 17 crew members from a Bulgarian vessel proves they are on par with the best in the world
The Indian Navy’s
rescue of a Bulgarian commercial ship from pirates off Somalia’s coast last
weekend demonstrates Delhi’s military has developed special forces
capabilities on par with some of the world’s best, a CNN analyst from London
comments on the wire today.
Indian Navy personnel
rescued 17 crew members of the vessel MV Ruen during an anti-piracy operation
lasting nearly two days, according to an Indian Navy news release, with no
casualties reported. Dozens of pirates were taken into custody, it said.
The operation
involved a navy destroyer, a patrol ship, an Indian Air Force C-17 transporter
flying more than 1,500 miles to airdrop marine commandos, a naval drone, a
reconnaissance drone and a P-8 surveillance jet, the CNN quoted Indian naval
sources.
“The success of the
operation marks the Indian Navy as a top-class force in terms of training,
command and control and other capabilities,” said John Bradford, Council on
Foreign Relations International Affairs fellow.
“What marks this operation as impressive is how risk was minimized by using a coordinated force that includes use of a warship, drones, fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, and marine commandos.”
Military strategists
now fear that the security situation in the Red Seas is quite volatile
following attacks by Yemen based Houthi rebels on commercial shipping liners.
This may provide an window for Somali pirates in the nearby Horn of Africa
– presenting a multi-billion-dollar threat to the global economy.
Yemen and Somalia are among the region’s poorest nations, both ravaged by years of civil war per US reports. Somali pirates’ capture of the MV Ruen in December last year marked the first successful hijacking of a vessel off the country’s coast since 2017.
Spanish, Japanese and Indian warships tracked the Malta-flagged, Bulgarian-managed bulk carrier as it was taken into Somali territorial waters, according to a December report from the European Union Naval Force.
But when the Ruen,
now operated by a pirate crew, last week left Somali waters with the intent of
committing acts of piracy on the high seas, the Indian Navy made moves to
intercept it, according to a navy statement posted on social platform X.
The destroyer INS
Kolkata, operating in the area to help ensure international maritime security,
used a ship-launched drone to confirm the Ruen was being operated by armed
pirates, the Indian statement said.
“We are happy that seven Bulgarian nationals are safe and will be returning home soon. India is committed to protecting freedom of navigation and combating piracy and terrorism in the Indian Ocean region,” Modi added.Earler on Sunday, Bulgaria's deputy prime minister also thanked India, Modi, and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar for successfully rescuing the hijacked vessel MV Ruen.
"I express my gratitude to the navy for the successful operation to rescue the hijacked vessel Ruen &its crew members, including 7 BG nationals. Thank you for support &great effort. We continue to work together to protect lives of the crew," Bulgarian minister Mariya Gabriel posted on X. 'That's what friends are for," Jaishankar replied.
sample ad :
The Indian Navy on Saturday made 35 pirates to surrender and successfully rescued the MV Ruen, which Somali pirates had seized on December 14 last year. The hijacking of the Bulgaria-owned MV Ruen marked the first instance of Somali pirates boarding a cargo vessel since 2017. All crew members were safely rescued on Saturday without any injuries.
How the Indian Navy carried out the operation
The Indian Navy said that INS Kolkata spearheaded the operation. The Navy employed its P-8I maritime patrol aircraft, alongside frontline ships INS Kolkata and INS Subhadra, and a high-altitude long-endurance (HALE) unmanned aerial vehicle. On Saturday, the Indian Air Force's C-17 aircraft conducted a precise airdrop of two boats alongside Indian Navy MARCOS in the Arabian Sea to support the ongoing anti-piracy mission ‘Operation Sankalp’.
"INS Kolkata, a mission deployed in the Arabian Sea, through the sustained high tempo of operations, has thwarted the designs of the Somali pirates to hijack ships transiting through the region by intercepting the pirate ship MV Ruen, on March 16. The merchant vessel had been hijacked in December 2023 and was under the control of the Somalian Pirates till now," the Indian Navy statement read.
The Indian navy has been monitoring the MV Ruen since Somali pirates seized it 380 nautical miles east of Yemen's Socotra island in December. At that time, the pirates released one injured Bulgarian sailor to the Indian Navy.
They then took the MV Ruen and its 17 crew members to Somalia's semi-autonomous state of Puntland, where the Indian navy reported it was anchored near Bosaso.
(With ANI inputs)India has announced plans to arrest and charge the 35 Somali pirates apprehended by its navy during the hijacking of the Malta-flagged vessel "Ruen" off the coast of Somalia. This decision marks a departure from previous practices, where disarmed pirates were typically left at sea after ship rescues.
The decision was confirmed by a naval official, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity. According to the official, the captured pirates are expected to arrive in India on Saturday, where they will be handed over to law enforcement authorities for prosecution. While the exact charges against the pirates remain unclear, the official emphasized the Indian navy's commitment to holding them accountable for their actions.
The dramatic rescue operation unfolded when Indian navy commandos successfully freed the "Ruen" on Saturday, ending its ordeal at the hands of Somali pirates. The ship, owned by the "BULGARIAN MARITIME NAVIGATION" Shipping Company, had been hijacked on December 14, 450 nautical miles east of Socotra in the northern Arabian Sea.
The hijacking marked the first instance of Somali piracy targeting a merchant vessel since 2017. At the height of their activities in 2011, Somali pirates inflicted significant financial losses on the global economy, including millions of dollars in ransom payments.
While India had previously prosecuted and jailed pirates involved in major raids, recent months had seen a shift in approach, with pirates released at sea. However, the pirates responsible for the "Ruen" hijacking will face trial in India, marking a significant departure from recent practice.
India's increased naval presence in the Gulf of Aden and the northern Arabian Sea since December aims to bolster security in the region, particularly amidst threats posed by Yemen's Houthi rebels. The Indian navy has maintained continuous surveillance in the area, utilizing aerial platforms and intelligence gathered from other vessels.
The interception of the "Ruen" underscores the ongoing threat posed by Somali piracy, with pirates using the vessel as a "mother ship" to launch attacks on other vessels. The successful operation by the Indian navy serves as a testament to their commitment to maritime security and combating piracy in the region.
Inputs : CNN London, Mnistry of Defence Indian Govt, Hindustan Times, Economic Times & Media reports
Comments
Post a Comment