India Plans Regional Action Against Somali Pirates
(NSI News Source Info) NEW DELHI - November 20, 2008: India is initiating a regional maritime cooperation plan in the wake of a wave of piracy incidents in the Gulf of Aden. A senior Indian Defence Ministry official said the plan will involve navies of several countries.
Five vessels reportedly were hijacked off the coast of Somalia in one week, including Saudi-owned supertanker Sirius Star, which was seized Nov. 15.
Meanwhile, Defence Ministry sources here said the Indian warship INS Tabar destroyed the pirate vessel involved in the hijacking of the Saudi tanker. The Tabar, one of dozens of warships from several countries protecting shipping lanes in the area, attacked the Somali pirate ship late Nov. 18 after coming under fire, Indian Navy spokesman Nirad Sinha said, according to an Agence France-Presse report.
"INS Tabar is on an anti-piracy mission in the Gulf of Aden since Nov. 2," the Defence Ministry said in a Nov. 19 statement. "The operation is being controlled by Western Naval Command since mid-October. During this period, she has successfully escorted approximately 35 ships, including a number of foreign flagged vessels, safely during their transit through pirate-infested waters of the Gulf of Aden and also prevented two hijacking attempts on Nov. 11.
"The Indian Navy has been patrolling the piracy-infested water in keeping with the government guidelines to protect our seaborne trade [and] instill confidence in our seafaring community, as well as function as a deterrent for pirates."
Navy officials confirmed that the regional maritime cooperation plan will include several countries.
In January, India hosted an exercise that drew naval participation from Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam. The biennial event took place at Andaman and Nicobar islands in the Indian Ocean, which is a new base housing India's Tri-Command.
India and the United States in a joint statement in 2006 reaffirmed their commitment to protect the free flow of commerce and the safety of navigation, and agreed to the conclusion of a Maritime Cooperation Framework to enhance maritime security, prevent piracy and other crimes at sea, carry out search-and-rescue operations, fight marine pollution, respond to natural disasters, address emergent threats and improve cooperative capabilities, including through logistics support.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
India Plans Regional Action Against Somali Pirates
India Plans Regional Action Against Somali Pirates
(NSI News Source Info) NEW DELHI - November 20, 2008: India is initiating a regional maritime cooperation plan in the wake of a wave of piracy incidents in the Gulf of Aden. A senior Indian Defence Ministry official said the plan will involve navies of several countries.
Five vessels reportedly were hijacked off the coast of Somalia in one week, including Saudi-owned supertanker Sirius Star, which was seized Nov. 15.
Meanwhile, Defence Ministry sources here said the Indian warship INS Tabar destroyed the pirate vessel involved in the hijacking of the Saudi tanker. The Tabar, one of dozens of warships from several countries protecting shipping lanes in the area, attacked the Somali pirate ship late Nov. 18 after coming under fire, Indian Navy spokesman Nirad Sinha said, according to an Agence France-Presse report.
"INS Tabar is on an anti-piracy mission in the Gulf of Aden since Nov. 2," the Defence Ministry said in a Nov. 19 statement. "The operation is being controlled by Western Naval Command since mid-October. During this period, she has successfully escorted approximately 35 ships, including a number of foreign flagged vessels, safely during their transit through pirate-infested waters of the Gulf of Aden and also prevented two hijacking attempts on Nov. 11.
"The Indian Navy has been patrolling the piracy-infested water in keeping with the government guidelines to protect our seaborne trade [and] instill confidence in our seafaring community, as well as function as a deterrent for pirates."
Navy officials confirmed that the regional maritime cooperation plan will include several countries.
In January, India hosted an exercise that drew naval participation from Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam. The biennial event took place at Andaman and Nicobar islands in the Indian Ocean, which is a new base housing India's Tri-Command.
India and the United States in a joint statement in 2006 reaffirmed their commitment to protect the free flow of commerce and the safety of navigation, and agreed to the conclusion of a Maritime Cooperation Framework to enhance maritime security, prevent piracy and other crimes at sea, carry out search-and-rescue operations, fight marine pollution, respond to natural disasters, address emergent threats and improve cooperative capabilities, including through logistics support.
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