Against the backdrop of the increasing attacks on commercial ships transiting the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and the Arabian Sea, the Indian Navy on December 31 said it had substantially enhanced maritime surveillance efforts in Central and North Arabian Sea and “augmented force levels”.
“Task Groups comprising destroyers and frigates have been deployed to undertake maritime security operations and render assistance to merchant vessels in case of any incident. Aerial surveillance by long-range maritime patrol aircraft and Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) has been enhanced to have a complete maritime domain awareness,” the Navy said in a statement.
Towards effective surveillance of the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of India, the Navy is operating in close coordination with the Coast Guard, it said.
The hijacking of m.v. Ruen approximately 700 nautical miles off the Indian coast and the drone attack on m.v. Chem Pluto approximately 220 nautical miles south west of Porbandar indicated a “shift” in maritime incidents closer to the Indian EEZ, the Navy said.
A multi-agency investigation is under way into the drone attack on m.v. Chem Pluto on December 23. Another vessel, the Gabon-flagged m.v. Sai Babawith an Indian crew, was hit by a drone in the South Red Sea on the same day.
Speaking at an event in Mumbai last week, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that India’s growing power had filled “some forces with jealousy and hatred” and that the perpetrators of the attacks on Chem Pluto and Sai Baba would be brought to justice soon.
Navy chief Admiral R. Hari Kumar said that the Navy had deployed four destroyers of Project 15B & 15A class to counter piracy and drone attacks on merchant shipping.
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