Increased surveillance has been implemented by the Indian Navy in the northern and central Arabian Sea, as well as the Gulf of Aden, in response to recurring security incidents involving merchant vessels navigating international shipping routes. A statement from the navy today reveals the deployment of naval task groups, including destroyers and frigates, for the purpose of conducting maritime security operations and providing assistance to merchant vessels in the event of any incidents.
Furthermore, the navy emphasised its collaboration with the Coast Guard to proactively assess and address emerging security threats in the Indian Ocean.
The Indian Navy's action follows closely on the heels of an incident involving the merchant vessel MV Chem Pluto, which was targeted by a drone 400 km off the Indian coastline. The ship, carrying 21 crew members (20 Indians and one Vietnamese), safely reached the Mumbai port on December 26 under the safeguard of the Coast Guard ship Vikram, just two days after the drone strike occurred in the Arabian Sea.
In a statement, the navy said, "The last few weeks have seen increased maritime security incidents on merchant vessels transiting through international shipping lanes in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and central/north Arabian Sea."
"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 southwest of Porbandar, indicates a shift in maritime incidents closer to Indian EEZ (exclusive economic zone)," it added.
In addition to deploying destroyers and frigates, the navy has utilized unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and maritime patrol aircraft. The long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft P8Is are consistently assigned to maintain domain awareness.
The attack on MV Chem Pluto occurred amidst a series of recent drone and missile attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels on the crucial Red Sea shipping lane. These incidents have escalated since the commencement of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7, with the group asserting solidarity with Gaza.
The Pentagon asserted that a drone, allegedly "fired from Iran," targeted the tanker ship. This marked the first time the Pentagon openly accused Iran of directly attacking ships since the onset of Israel's war on Hamas, which receives support from Tehran.
