|
One of Indian Navy's most lethal warships is on its way to complete unfinished business with Somalian pirates in the Gulf of Aden; the vessel will relieve INS Tabar
It may well prove to be the last nail in the coffin of the pirates operating in the Gulf of Aden.
After successful exploits of the Indian Navy's stealth frigate INS Tabar, the country's naval forces have sent one of their most lethal ships a Delhi Class destroyer to the troubled waters.
For starters, a Delhi Class destroyer is among the biggest warships in the Indian Navy with two Sea King helicopters and a mix of various lethal guns on board.
The vessels float with two Cheetah or a Chetak helicopters, which was used by INS Tabar as well for its helicopter- borne commando operation, a week ago to thwart two hijack attempts.
The destroyer is expected to strengthen India's presence in the pirate-infested area with its marine commandos (MARCOS) and choppers, which could be deployed for aerial surveillance operations too.
Sources in the Navy said that the Delhi Class destroyer would replace naval frigate INS Tabar which sunk a pirate vessel along with its crew on Tuesday night.
A top naval officer also said that the Director General of Shipping too has requested Indian Navy to increase its presence in the area to safeguard Indian vessels. "Yes, we are considering a proposal to increase the number of warships in Gulf of Aden to fight the pirates and to protect merchant ships flying the Indian flag," said a senior Indian Navy officer.
The recent string of hijacking attempts and robberies in the high seas has attracted global attention. The US-led Command Task Force 150 NATO and the European Union have already deployed their naval ships in the area. "However, their efforts need to be coordinated well to deal with the complexities of the operations there," the top naval officer said, suggesting all forces should be brought under UN mandate.
Though deploying more force in the area is under consideration, senior naval officers met defence minister A K Antony to discuss the development. "We are discussing the matter and Indian Navy is determined to fulfil its mandate against piracy operations in international waters," said the officer.
He also explained the paradigm shift in the way pirates are operating in the area. "Earlier piracy was limited upto pilfering of cargo and theft of property onboard merchant vessels in Malacca Straits. But now the Somalian pirates who are operating in the Gulf of Aden are trained militia who hijack for ransom," he said.
The areas of dominance of the pirates too have grown manifold and they are operating in an area of 500 nautical miles.
"The pirates have developed the skill to deceive merchant vessels in the garb of large fishing trawlers and they are equipped with modern communication devices and radars. They use speed boats for surprise attacks and the game is almost over once they board the ship," said the officer.
The offensive by INS Tabar against the pirate ships has already brought into action the international community, including the International Maritime Board (IMB) and United Nations.
| 
