New Delhi: Indian Navy Chief Admiral R. Hari Kumar has pledged to take affirmative action to ensure safety and security in the Indian Ocean. Speaking in New Delhi on Saturday, he affirmed that “no Indian-flagged vessel” has been targeted by the Houthis at sea, referring to the Navy’s operations in the past 100 days.
The Admiral reported that the Bangladesh cargo ship MV Abdullah had been hijacked by Somali pirates and was currently under Navy monitoring. He emphasized the Navy’s commitment to eliminating piracy, including monitoring ships along the Somali coast. Additionally, he noted that, to ensure maritime security, the Navy had conducted anti-piracy, anti-missile, and anti-drone operations. He further reported that 110 people, including 45 Indians and 65 foreign nationals, had been rescued under this operation called ‘Operation Sankalp.’
Addressing the hijacking of the Bulgaria-flagged merchant vessel MV Ruen by 35 Somali pirates, the Admiral declared that these pirates would face trial under anti-piracy laws. He underscored the significance of these laws in Navy operations and confirmed that the trials would proceed accordingly. This operation marked the Navy’s most extensive effort in the last decade to combat Somali piracy. Furthermore, he noted that all coastal police stations in the country had been authorized to file such cases.
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