The Indian Navy had substantially increased its maritime surveillance activity in the Central and North Arabian Sea region
For nearly 40 hours on March 15-16, 2024, teams of the Indian Navy carried out an unprecedented and successful anti-piracy operation nearly 1,400 nautical miles (2,600 km) from the Indian coastline. The operation, which saw the Indian Air Force (IAF) playing a key role, led to the surrender of all 35 Somali pirates who had captured ex-MV Ruen on December 14, 2023. The 17 crew members were also evacuated safely.
 
Coming as this does on the heels of a series of positive interventions against hijacking attempts and drone attacks by pirates in the critical shipping lanes of the Arabian Sea, the operation has bolstered India’s role as a net security provider in the Indian Ocean Region.
 
INS Kolkata Thwarts Piracy Attempts from Onboard ex-MV Ruen
 
According to information released by the Ministry of Defence, INS Kolkata thwarted the designs of the Somali pirates to hijack ships transiting through the Arabian Sea region by intercepting the pirate ship MV Ruen on March 16, 2024. The merchant vessel, hijacked on December 14, 2023, was under the control of Somalian pirates till now.
 
Here is how the operation unfolded. Based on the analysis of the information gathered during extensive surveillance as part of Maritime Security Operations, the Indian Navy was able to track the movement of the Pirate Ship Ruen. INS Kolkata was given directions to intercept the ship approximately 260 Nm East of Somalia. The Indian Navy warship intercepted Ruen in the morning of March 15, 2024, and confirmed the presence of armed pirates through a ship-launched drone. 
 
The pirates shot down the drone and fired at INS Kolkata in what was described by the Ministry of Defence as a “reckless hostile act”. In a calibrated response as per international laws, INS Kolkata disabled the ship's steering system and navigational aids, forcing the pirate ship to stop.
 
Thereafter, INS Kolkata undertook “precisely measured actions” while maintaining her position close to the Pirate Ship and also engaged in forceful negotiations, which resulted in the Pirates surrendering and releasing the pirate ship MV Ruen and its original crew present onboard. 
 
The efforts of the Indian Navy in the ongoing anti-piracy operation 1400 nm (2600 km) from mainland India were augmented by the deployment of INS Subhadra in the area on the morning of March 16, 2024. The same afternoon, the Indian Air Force played a key role by the precision air-dropping of two Combat Rubberised Raiding Craft (CRRC) and the Indian Navy’s Marine Commandos (PRAHARS) by C-17 aircraft. Additionally, the pirate vessel was kept under surveillance by HALE RPA and P8I maritime reconnaissance aircraft. 
 
“Due to sustained pressure and calibrated actions by the Indian Navy over the last 40 hours, all 35 Somali pirates surrendered PM 16 Mar 24. All 17 original crew members of MV Ruen were also safely evacuated from the pirate vessel without any injury. The vessel has also been sanitised for the presence of illegal arms, ammunition and contraband,” the Ministry of Defence said.
 
Indian Navy deploys destroyers & frigates to counter threats from pirates
 
In late 2023, the Indian Navy had substantially increased its maritime surveillance activity in the Central and North Arabian Sea region following a rise in drone attacks on merchant vessels transiting the region. This included deploying destroyers and frigates to counter the threat.
 
“The last few weeks have witnessed increased maritime security incidents on merchant vessels transiting through international shipping lanes in 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 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, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement issued on December 31, 2023.
 
Accordingly, Task Groups comprising destroyers and frigates were 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 was enhanced to have a complete maritime domain awareness. The Indian Navy has been operating in close coordination with the Coast Guard to ensure effective surveillance of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).  
 
In January this year, in an impressive display of maritime vigilance and precision, Indian Naval Ship (INS) Sumitra successfully executed two anti-piracy operations off the East Coast of Somalia, rescuing a total of 36 crew members from the clutches of Somali pirates.