A week after the drone attack on cargo vessel MV Chem Pluto in the Arabian Sea, the Indian Navy said it was enhancing maritime surveillance efforts and augmenting force levels in the central and north Arabian Sea.
This comes in the wake of increased maritime security incidents on merchant vessels transiting through international shipping lanes in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
While 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 RPAs has been enhanced for total maritime domain awareness. “Towards effective surveillance of EEZ, the Indian Navy is operating in close coordination with the Indian Coast Guard,” the statement by Indian Navy said.
It also said that the piracy incident on MV Ruen, approximately 700 nautical miles from the Indian coast, and the 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.
Malta-flagged vessel MV Ruen came under piracy attack on December 14 in the Central Arabian Sea, which involved the boarding of the vessel by six unidentified individuals. On the other hand, MV Chem Pluto was hit by a drone fired from Iranian coast last week.
Another vessel MV Sai Baba, a Gabon-flagged commercial crude oil tanker with 25 Indian crew members, also came under a drone attack in the Southern Red Sea on Saturday but no one was injured,
“The overall situation is being closely monitored by the Indian Navy in coordination with national maritime agencies. Indian Navy remains committed to ensuring the safety of merchant shipping in the region,” the statement added.
Following the attack on Chem Pluto, the Indian Navy commenced focused maritime security operations in the region. “The presence of Indian Navy warships and air surveillance in the region has been enhanced.
Actions are being progressed in coordination with national maritime agencies towards ensuring safety of merchant marine in the region,” it said.
Indian Navy chief Admiral R Hari Kumar has also issued directions to keep a close lookout for any suspicious activity in the Arabian Sea. He further directed to carry out thorough checks on the suspicious boats to ensure the safety of our merchant vessels and mariners, said the Indian Navy. Indian Navy steps up surveillance in central, north Arabian Sea after attack on cargo vessels.