No hijacking on anti-piracy watch: Indian Navy

Kochi: Indian Navy, which plays a crucial role in anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden and off Somalia coast, on Wednesday said there has been no hijacking of any ship for the last two years "mainly due to the concerted efforts" of it along with the international maritime forces.

"Not a single ship under the escort of Indian Navy since 2008 has been hijacked by the pirates," Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command, Vice Admiral Sunil Lanba said.

"Indian Navy has been deployed in the Gulf of Aden continuously since October 2008 for anti-piracy patrol. Along with other Navies, Indian Navy has been deployed in the Gulf of Aden and off the coast of Somalia," he said.

"In the last two years, there has been no hijacking of any ship. It is mainly due to the concerted efforts of all the navy including the Indian Navy there," Lanba said.

Addressing media on board INS Sunayna, at South Jetty, Naval Base, here, Lanba said that 53 naval ships have done the patrolling since 2008.

"We have escorted over 3000 merchant marine during this patrol. Not a single ship under the escort of Indian Navy since 2008 has been hijacked by the pirates," he said, reacting to queries on the steps taken by the Indian Navy to deal with threats by Somalian pirates in Gulf Aden and off Somalia coast.

"It is the effort of Indian Navy and other navies deployed in the Gulf of Aden and off Somalia that the incidents of piracy has been stemmed in that region," Lanba said.

Lanba also voiced confidence that Indian Navy is fully prepared to tackle terror threat through sea route.

"We are prepared. We have systems in place. There is maritime domain awareness. The coast is now kept under surveillance both AIS, radar LRIT satellites. Intelligence agencies are better coordinated and networked. Information do come in," he said.

???? "And we have systems in place to thwart any effort if some body may eye on any design on India," he said.