Indian Navy Enhances Maritime Surveillance Following Drone Attack & Vessel Hijacking

NEW DELHI: Claiming that the recent drone attack on merchant vessel MV Chem Pluto and the hijacking of MV Ruen indicate a shift in maritime incidents closer to India’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), the Indian Navy said on Sunday that it has substantially enhanced maritime surveillance efforts in the 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,” said the Indian Navy. It said that aerial surveillance by long-range maritime patrol aircraft and RPAs has been enhanced to have a complete maritime domain awareness. “Towards effective surveillance of the EEZ, the Indian Navy is operating in close coordination with Coast Guard,” the Navy said.

The Indian Navy is carrying out checks on the suspicious boats to ensure the safety of Indian merchant vessels and mariners, said sources.

The overall situation is being closely monitored by the Indian Navy in coordination with national maritime agencies. “The Indian Navy remains committed to ensuring the safety of merchant shipping in the region,” it added.

The last few weeks have witnessed increased maritime security incidents on merchant vessels transiting through international shipping lanes in the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and the Central/North Arabian Sea. “The piracy incident (hijack incident) on MV Ruen approximately 700 nautical miles from the Indian coast and recent drone attack on MV Chem Pluto, approximately 220 nautical miles South West of Porbandar indicates a shift in maritime incidents closer to Indian EEZ," said Indian Navy. 

The hijacked vessel MV Ruen was taken by the pirates to the territorial waters of Somalia (off Bosaso) on December 17.

Last week defence minister Rajnath Singh also said that the government of India had taken the recent drone attack on MV Chem Pluto in the Arabian Sea and the attack on MV Sai Baba in the Red Sea “very seriously”. He had added: “The Indian Navy has increased surveillance of the sea. Whoever has carried out this attack, we will find them even from the bottom of the ocean and strict action will be taken against them… I want to assure you.”