Indian Navy and International Anti-Piracy Ops

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ramana
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Re: Indian Navy and International Anti-Piracy Ops

Post by ramana »

Op-Ed by former Indian Ambasador to Kenya on IN operations and piracy

Horn of Africa: why India should care more
Our strategic community and official agencies should pay more attention to the conditions and power dynamics in the Horn of Africa because what happens in the region has a direct bearing on our security.

Africa has been of growing interest to India for political and economic reasons but does it have security implications for us? The answer is ‘yes,' especially as we focus on a particular sub-region, the Horn of Africa. A recent, distinguished visitor to India from the area — Hailemariam Desalegn, Deputy Prime Minister of Ethiopia — highlighted the wider implications of terrorism and piracy in the east African region. He even suggested that there should be “a naval blockade and no fly zone over Somalia.”

The immediate relevance of the threat posed by piracy has been underlined by the latest incident in which a Bangladeshi-flagged merchant ship, MV Jahan Moni, was hijacked by Somali pirates at a location barely 90 nautical miles from the Lakshadweep Islands.

The Horn of Africa comprises four countries — Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti and Somalia. As a quintessential microcosm of Africa, the area has seen it all: imperialism, neo-colonialism, Cold War, ethnic strife, intra-African conflict, poverty, disease, famine and much else. Without its recovery and progress, Africa's resurgence would never be complete. With the headquarters of African Union located in Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia, the continent's apex organisation gets a direct and unhindered view of what happens in its immediate vicinity.

The sub-region covers a wide spectrum from Ethiopia — an ancient civilisation and a nation that retained its independence (except for a short period) — to Somalia, the most failed state on the planet today. Eritrea and Djibouti, smaller neighbours located on the seashore, have had their own share of strife and strained relations with Ethiopia and Somalia respectively. Eritrea emerged as an independent state after a 30-year-long confrontation with Ethiopia, a development that turned the latter into a landlocked country. Djibouti, the erstwhile French Somaliland, has been a beacon of relative stability and prosperity, which has contributed to mediation and peace-making efforts in and outside the Horn of Africa.

Africa's Afghanistan

Somalia today is a mere geographical expression, not a united country. In the past decade, it has gone through 14 governments. In its northern part, three quasi-sovereign governments exist — Somaliland, Puntland and Galmudug. The southern part is controlled partly by the Transitional Federal Government, but its writ runs in parts of Mogadishu only. Outside, Islamic groups named the Union of Islamic Courts call the shots. The on-going armed conflict within the capital city reminds me of the years I spent in the civil war-torn Beirut. The South has become a veritable hub of Islamic fundamentalists and terrorist groups such as Al-Shabab having links with the al-Qaeda. The North has been the breeding ground of pirates who pose a serious threat to international shipping. Somalia may aptly be depicted as ‘Africa's Afghanistan.'

Somali pirates, operating in the waters off the Somali coast and in the Gulf of Aden through which passes a massive quantum of the world's goods and energy supplies, pose a grave danger. The trend now is for them to take their operations far out on the high seas. The number of attacks in 2008 was 111 and 217 in 2009. The year ending now has seen the problem grow. In a recent assessment, the Institute of Security Studies in Pretoria stressed that piracy has been growing “in frequency, range, aggression and severity at an alarming rate.” Pirates keep trying to harm international shipping, content to extract ransom, but their continuing operations and the potential of building links with international terrorist organisations cause widespread worry. The probability of a major, spectacular attack such as the sinking of an oil tanker cannot be ruled out.

Navy's magnificent work

In this context, the magnificent work the Indian Navy has been doing in the area since October 2008 deserves wider appreciation. Its warships patrol the Gulf of Aden and quietly provide escort and security assistance to not only Indian but also foreign merchant vessels. About 1,350 ships belonging to different countries have availed themselves of this facility so far. During the first fortnight of September 2010 alone, INS Delhi scored success on four separate occasions to foil attacks by pirates. In all, 22 piracy attempts have been averted by the Navy. It has discharged, as Navy Chief Admiral Nirmal Verma put it, “its responsibilities with distinction.”

It is worth noting that a considerable degree of consultation, coordination and cooperation in capacity building in anti-piracy operations has been taking place. However, there is a problem about what to do with the pirates apprehended on the high seas as Indian laws do not permit their prosecution by our courts. :?:

There are, of course, ships of several other countries, including the United States, European Union member-states, Russia, Australia, China and Japan. The growing presence of Chinese vessels demonstrates the country's reach as the emerging naval power. It also juxtaposes China's undue sensitivity about the presence of other Navies on the South China Sea. External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna observed recently: “China is taking more than normal interest in the Indian Ocean and we are monitoring it carefully.”

The world's Navies have been tackling the consequences and addressing the symptoms of the underlying malaise, which is the destruction of Somalia as a state and the resultant anarchy and absence of the rule of law. The United Nations has been helping in the process, both on the political and peacekeeping aspects. But 8,000 troops provided by Uganda and Burundi are considered to be inadequate for the task. On a recent visit to Somalia, Yoweri Museveni, President of Uganda, complained that the international community “did not take the Somali problem seriously enough.” Apparently, moves are afoot to increase the size of the troops to 12,000, whereas the African Union wants it to go up to 20,000 quickly.

‘Not sea bandits'

Other factors also explain the piracy phenomenon. Sugule Ali, a pirate leader, stated: “We don't consider ourselves sea bandits. We consider sea bandits to be those who illegally fish and dump waste in our seas and carry weapons in our area.” Objective analysts would agree that there is some merit in the argument, but this is hardly a justification for the continuing attacks. Piracy represents a serious challenge to international law and order. Therefore, international community must do more to resolve the fundamental issues, taking a holistic view. As experts have suggested, there is a need to deal with this problem “from the beach side, in concert with the ocean side.” Further, what is required is to craft much greater cooperation among the countries concerned than has been secured so far.

Our strategic community and official agencies too should pay more attention to the prevailing conditions and power dynamics in the Horn of Africa. The government would be well advised to become more active in examining and discussing the complex problem in-depth with the governments in Eastern Africa, the African Union and others concerned so as to be able to make a meaningful contribution to its resolution. The Navy can do only fire-fighting, but surely India is capable of striving more at the diplomatic and political levels. What happens in the region has a direct bearing on our security and well-being, and this is becoming clearer and more urgent by the day.

(The author served as India's High Commissioner to Kenya and South Africa.)
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Re: Indian Navy and International Anti-Piracy Ops

Post by shyamd »

IAF to park fighter planes in South
Navy to keep round-the-clock vigil on islands
Ajay Banerjee
Tribune News Service

n The first two Squadrons of the Light Combat Aircraft to be stationed at Sulur in Coimbatore.
n Need to secure sea lanes and deal with threats from non-state actors prompted decision.
n Pirates and Lashkar on the radar


New Delhi, December 28
The Indian Air Force (IAF) is planning to deploy fighter aircraft squadrons in southern parts of the country to tackle the threat from non-state actors and to secure sea lanes.

Vice-Chief of the IAF Air Marshal PK Barbora said here on the sidelines of a function, “This is in our plans. The first two squadrons of the light combat aircraft (LCA) would also be based in South India and squadrons of either the M-MRCA or the Su-30 MKI would also be based there.”

Barbora, was responding to a question whether the Air Force had any plans of deploying its fighters in the southern peninsula in wake of the increasing threat from non-state actors like the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and pirates. Barbora said, “The role of IAF would increase in South India and we are also thinking of increasing our presence in the Andaman Nicobar Islands.”

The IAF is planning to deploy the first two squadrons of the LCA in Sulur in Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu.

The IAF has been strengthening its presence in the south to protect the country’s interests in the Indian Ocean region. With the induction of mid-air refuellers, the IAF can expand its strategic reach.

Barbora also said the IAF was “reasonably happy” with the lightweight multi-role jet fighter “Tejas”, which is expected to obtain the “initial operational clearance” next month.

The aircraft has been manufactured by HAL at its Bangalore facility and its designer, DRDO’s Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), is also based there.

India has chosen GE-414 engines to power the next generation of Tejas.

Meanwhile, faced with rising incidents of piracy and fears of terrorists misusing small uninhabited island territories in the Arabian Sea, the Navy has deployed its warships on round-the-clock patrolling around the Lakshwadeep and Minicoy islands.

According to sources, 4-5 warships have been deployed as attempts at piracy have been getting closer to Indian shores. Three major sea lanes, used for transporting oil and other trade material, pass by these islands that lie around 200 km west of Kerala. The Navy has also pressed in its air surveillance assets like Dorniers and the IL-38 series of planes.

Till now, the Navy was not conducting round-the-clock patrolling around these islands. On December 24, Defence Minister AK Antony virtually sounded the alarm bells. Inaugurating a coast guard station at Minicoy, he said there were “doubts that other elements” were behind sea pirates.

In a “sweep” operation in November, the Navy had chased out a group of pirates. It was decided that this was not enough, hence the decision to have warships tackle it on day-to-day basis. Since international navies have tightened noose around the neck of pirates operating around the gulf of Aden and Somalia, the pirates have moved in three directions - area between Madagascar and Mozambique, towards India and northwards towards Oman.
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Re: Indian Navy and International Anti-Piracy Ops

Post by chackojoseph »

Indian Navy and Coast Guard disrupt suspicious craft

During one such aircraft surveillance sortie at 1030 h on 28 Jan 11, a Coast Guard Dornier on routine patrol located two white colour skiffs in the vicinity of a merchant vessel MV CMA CGM Berdi. The aircraft descended and passed over the skiffs and chased them away. A mother vessel Prantalay was also sighted by the Patrol Aircraft in the area. MV CMA Berdi is a Bahamas flag container carrier.
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Re: Indian Navy and International Anti-Piracy Ops

Post by akimalik »

Dear Sirs,

I wonder if such incidents could be used as a "live-fire exercise" by the Navy. i.e. to use such incidents to actually check the co-ordination amongst the various vessels culminating in engagement (forceful) of the pirates.
Here are supposed criminals, popping up to perpetrate crime. It presents us with the opportunity for us to test out our tactical options:
- which is the best form of intercept,
- how much time/resources does it take for intercepting X number of vessels,
- (if used) how much ammunition can be expected to be expended in dealing with vessels of such size,
etc etc.

For example in anti-terrorism schools, they use a mock drill to train the Squads, here we have live incidents on a more regular basis.

Request thoughts of fellow members...

p.s. :- this is not a jingoistic thought, rather a cold scientific experiment (if you may so call it) with specific end-goals.
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Re: Indian Navy and International Anti-Piracy Ops

Post by chackojoseph »

^^^^ We will turn them in worse that Pirates, We don't want them to turn them into murderers. I am sure, the people serving in the Naval ships too would like to sleep with their conscious clean.

Let them operate them withing the parameters.
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Re: Indian Navy and International Anti-Piracy Ops

Post by akimalik »

Dear Sir,

I beg to differ. The Indian Army is involved in CI ops in various parts of India. They have not turned into terrorists. However, my aim is not to counter you, but to try and find opportunity in the chaos at sea.

The Somali pirates are perhaps following the easiest way to make money and we need to make it untenable for them. That is the best way to stop the crime (make it unattractive).

What I am trying to find out is if we can use these incidents to test/prepare our maritime response policy. Today we may be dealing with skiffs & trawlers, tomorrow it may be a more robust adversary. But if these exchanges are used as training methods (rather than just a policing effort) than may be we can get better returns out of the exercise.

Once again, it is not rhetoric that I am making, I just want to know if we can use this as a "real" training exercise (with the possibility of use of force). Maybe this might help us hone the skills of graduated response based on the situation.

as always, looking forward to your thoughts...
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Re: Indian Navy and International Anti-Piracy Ops

Post by chackojoseph »

CI ops by Army has been misused sometimes. Army has its own Ketchup Generals etc. It happens when they get exra ordinary powers. AFPSA being an example. There have been misuses. It turns men into devils. We had disbanded RAW's particular team that used to have this extra ordinary powers.

Like we have Guinea pigs in pharma, what you are suggesting it military equivalent.

One thing you should understand. The Piracy is not a live demo. Piracy is very much a operational threat ad navies around the world are trying to combat it within the defined national and international laws.
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Re: Indian Navy and International Anti-Piracy Ops

Post by akimalik »

Thank you so much, this is almost exactly what I was looking for :-).

However, another thing could be to break up the task force into 2 or 3 units - each with their own tactics & limitations and see which team's tactics allow it to solve the task at hand in the most effective manner.

p.s. :- I was really happy to see Veer in action the last time a similar incident had occurred. That ship is really close to my heart.
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Re: Indian Navy and International Anti-Piracy Ops

Post by D Roy »

foreign mofos created the whole problem by over fishing off the horn of africa ... also when you have a coast which is a free for all, various scum suckers offload various kinds of waste..

a combination of these factors lead to the the collapse of the local fishing industry which didn't even have too many motorised boats at the time.

Note: it isn't the islamic yahoos who do the piracy thingy, its the guys up north who do it.

their livelihoods were indeed stolen. India needs both a naval strategy as well as an afghanistan like aid strategy to help somalia.

Africa needs India's help. It is time we gave it.


A few billion here and there is chub change for us now. but may bring some economic justice to somalia.
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Re: Indian Navy and International Anti-Piracy Ops

Post by Mukesh.Kumar »

@ D Roy- Sir, that is one of the most insightful comments on this issue that I have come across.

Respect
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Re: Indian Navy and International Anti-Piracy Ops

Post by VinodTK »

British navy chief begins six-day visit to India tomorrow
The visit comes six months after Prime Ministers of the two nations highlighted their wish to see a strengthened defence and security relationship as a priority for the enhanced partnership between the UK and India.
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Re: Indian Navy and International Anti-Piracy Ops

Post by SSridhar »

Navy & Coast Guard destroy pirate mother ship, rescue fishermen
They also rescued 20 Thai and Myanmarese fishermen, who had been held hostage after a Thai fishing vessel Prantalay14 was hijacked along with Prantalay 11 and Prantalay 12 on April 18 last year.

Since its hijack, Prantalay 14 was being extensively used by pirates to launch attacks on merchant vessels passing along the shipping lanes off the island chain. The Hindu has learnt that the pirates will be taken to Mumbai while the rescued crew of the sunken trawler is being brought to Kochi.
There is a fine picture also of the mother ship trying to hoist the skiffs aboard.
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Re: Indian Navy and International Anti-Piracy Ops

Post by anirban_aim »

SSridhar wrote:Navy & Coast Guard destroy pirate mother ship, rescue fishermen
They also rescued 20 Thai and Myanmarese fishermen, who had been held hostage after a Thai fishing vessel Prantalay14 was hijacked along with Prantalay 11 and Prantalay 12 on April 18 last year.

Since its hijack, Prantalay 14 was being extensively used by pirates to launch attacks on merchant vessels passing along the shipping lanes off the island chain. The Hindu has learnt that the pirates will be taken to Mumbai while the rescued crew of the sunken trawler is being brought to Kochi.
There is a fine picture also of the mother ship trying to hoist the skiffs aboard.
You just beat me to this!!! :) :)

Any ways this is the kind of ops and power projection that gladdens the heart of a Jingo.

Looking forward to many more.....
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Re: Indian Navy and International Anti-Piracy Ops

Post by Neshant »

pretty dumb pirates to be opening fire on a warship.
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Re: Indian Navy and International Anti-Piracy Ops

Post by Raghavendra »

High sea villains to face Indian law for the first time http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_h ... me_1501024
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Re: Indian Navy and International Anti-Piracy Ops

Post by Singha »

the pirates were offloaded in mumbai today.
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Re: Indian Navy and International Anti-Piracy Ops

Post by chackojoseph »

Marten, Pls read this
akimalik wrote:Dear Sir,

I beg to differ. The Indian Army is involved in CI ops in various parts of India. They have not turned into terrorists. However, my aim is not to counter you, but to try and find opportunity in the chaos at sea. .......
as always, looking forward to your thoughts...
I have not criticised IA. I have also pointed out to RAW black ops team.
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Re: Indian Navy and International Anti-Piracy Ops

Post by Rahul M »

D Roy wrote:their livelihoods were indeed stolen. India needs both a naval strategy as well as an afghanistan like aid strategy to help somalia.

Africa needs India's help. It is time we gave it.


A few billion here and there is chub change for us now. but may bring some economic justice to somalia.
+1

moreover, africa is the place of the future. rise of africa is a question of when and not if. meaningful help given now in their weaker times would go a long way in securing a toehold for the future.
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Re: Indian Navy and International Anti-Piracy Ops

Post by akimalik »

Marten wrote:
akimalik wrote: Request thoughts of fellow members...

p.s. :- this is not a jingoistic thought, rather a cold scientific experiment (if you may so call it) with specific end-goals.
This is not scientific thought. Far be from it -- killing individuals who're at best stealing is morally and ethically wrong for a country like India. This very board helped me understand why we need to have a humanitarian approach to dismantling the piracy infrastructure.

btw, these experiments we're talking of would probably end up similar to what the Nazis conducted at various camps. There is no reason or justification for live fire exercises when one has the law and the moral strength to bring these individuals to law.

Let's not forget despite their firing and threats, they are not the same as the terrorists (from across the border) that slaughter our gentle citizenry.
Hi Marten,

Thanks for sharing your views, however, we seem to be jumping the gun. My point was that we should use this as an opportunity to develop and validate skills required for interdiction at high seas. I never meant that the people on those boats are to be slaughtered.

By graduated response my intention was to give the Naval personnel a first hand opportunity to deal with such situations. Graduated response does not mean shoot at sight. It may culminate in the use of force based on the actions of the people interdicted (as partly happened in this case) and that is exactly what our sailors need to be aware of ... how the situation escalates and when does one see the moment when precipitate action is warranted and when is mere force projection good enough. Do we have all the answers? If not, then why not use every opportunity to learn?

There is a huge difference between classroom training and actual field training. It is the latter that I was hinting at (given the opportunity).

If in the process I sound fascist, then I apologize.
Rgds,
a

p.s. :- The largest single incident of genocide was cause not by Nazis but by the eventual victors of WWII. Not that I condone either. But that is a different subject altogether.
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Re: Indian Navy and International Anti-Piracy Ops

Post by Aditya G »

Operation is called "Island Watch"
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Re: Indian Navy and International Anti-Piracy Ops

Post by tsarkar »

D Roy wrote:their livelihoods were indeed stolen. India needs both a naval strategy as well as an afghanistan like aid strategy to help somalia.Africa needs India's help. It is time we gave it.
Very true

Since 1950's, when mechanized fishing started with gusto using WW2 surplus fast ex-naval corvettes/sub chasers/gunboats, there has been gross overharvesting of fishing resources.

There were three "Cod Wars" between Iceland and UK in the last century for North Sea fishing rights. Both were NATO allies. Iceland threatened to go over the Soviets and buy Petya corvettes. US prevailed on UK to give up its fishing rights to keep Iceland in the fold. However, British, Scottish, Irish and Welsh fishing industry in certain cities/areas completely collapsed.

These days, the Taiwanese & Thai trawlers overharvest and deplete fish reserves. In addition, customer demand for choice cuts, like fillet, result in a lot of wastage in the fish processing industry.

Somailan EEZ should be protected for Somalis. Funny how most so called strategic ananlytics are incompetent to see the basic reasons, and global superpowers turning a blind eye.

Not sure how many have read Ajai Shukla's Afghanistan reports, or seen S M Krishna's response to the student crisis in US, but we need to shake off lethargy in foreign policy and defend our long term interests, as well as what is right.
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Re: Indian Navy and International Anti-Piracy Ops

Post by Raghavendra »

Indian Navy, Coast Guard apprehend pirate ship http://www.hindustantimes.com/Indian-Na ... 59214.aspx
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Re: Indian Navy and International Anti-Piracy Ops

Post by Singha »

>> In addition, customer demand for choice cuts, like fillet, result in a lot of wastage in the fish processing industry.

is that a very american market demand ? asians/africans/south americans tend to use all the fish if not in one dish then the head and such in stews and murighonto type dishes. europeans I have read use the full fish too and pics of mediterranean fish dishes seem to confirm it.

but americans eat only fillets which means the tail , neck and head are all wasted and boneless fish suitable for easy filleting are over harvested.
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Re: Indian Navy and International Anti-Piracy Ops

Post by Mukesh.Kumar »

@ Singha. OT but couldn't resist. Even in India except for eastern India, I think most people do not eat the head and all. Also, most Arabs, and people around Mediterranean Africa have moved away from traditional diets with increasing affluence and now tend to eat only the main body. Moreover the depletion of fish stock is also related to the overfishing of certain species. Other fish that gets caught in nets is either thrown away or used uneconomically by conversion into animal feed etc.
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Re: Indian Navy and International Anti-Piracy Ops

Post by chackojoseph »

Here is the detailed report of the chase and apprehension 8)

Indian Coast Guard apprehends Pirate Mother Vessel Prantlaya-11 off Lakshadweep
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Re: Indian Navy and International Anti-Piracy Ops

Post by Raghavendra »

The CHindu report

Navy, Coast Guard bust another pirate band
http://www.hindu.com/2011/02/07/stories ... 411400.htm
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Re: Indian Navy and International Anti-Piracy Ops

Post by Raja Bose »

chackojoseph wrote:Here is the detailed report of the chase and apprehension 8)

Indian Coast Guard apprehends Pirate Mother Vessel Prantlaya-11 off Lakshadweep
What in God's name is rummaging? Are the IN and CG a bunch of rag pickers? - The last sentence should be more professionally worded.
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Re: Indian Navy and International Anti-Piracy Ops

Post by Singha »

so prantalaya-12 is still on the loose . hope they nab her soon. maybe bait them by sending a rich man's yacht packed with marcos team.
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Re: Indian Navy and International Anti-Piracy Ops

Post by akimalik »

Singha wrote:so prantalaya-12 is still on the loose . hope they nab her soon. maybe bait them by sending a rich man's yacht packed with marcos team.
Hi, as always I like being unconventional.
How about taking a normal coastal merchantman, adding a few HMGs on its fore & aft, build a makeshift helipad and use this for anti-piracy ops?
The advantages:
- (perhaps) more economical to operate,
- better endurance,
- can run with the hares (i.e. blend in with the convoy that it (they) are protecting),
- gradually will start putting a doubt in the minds of the pirates as to which ship is a soft-target and which one has teeth.
Is this thought worth debating?
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Re: Indian Navy and International Anti-Piracy Ops

Post by Sachin »

akimalik wrote:How about taking a normal coastal merchantman, adding a few HMGs on its fore & aft, build a makeshift helipad and use this for anti-piracy ops?
There are strict international laws which disallows a Merchant Navy ship from carrying any sorts of arms. Some times the only "arms" they have are the huge fire hoses, using which they can pump water to the pirates coming on-board, and throw them over board. If I am not mistaken the crew can not even carry small arms (like revolvers/pistols).
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Re: Indian Navy and International Anti-Piracy Ops

Post by akimalik »

Sachin wrote: There are strict international laws which disallows a Merchant Navy ship from carrying any sorts of arms. Some times the only "arms" they have are the huge fire hoses, using which they can pump water to the pirates coming on-board, and throw them over board. If I am not mistaken the crew can not even carry small arms (like revolvers/pistols).
Even if the ship flies the IN Ensign and not a Merchant Naval Ensign?
I think the ensign declares the ship to be a combatant.
And there are definitely small arms carried on board merchant naval vessels. Although not in suitable quantities.
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Re: Indian Navy and International Anti-Piracy Ops

Post by chetak »

Only thing missing is the statement from the pirate chief stating that "he has full faith in the Indian judiciary"

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city ... 448030.cms

Pirates apply for bail
Rebecca Samervel/, TNN, Feb 8, 2011, 04.02am IST

MUMBAI: A metropolitan magistrate court at Ballard Pier on Monday remanded the 15 African pirates captured on January 28 to judicial custody till February 14. The 15 men have moved a bail application, which will be heard on February 9.

The police had asked the court to grant them two more days of police custody so they could conduct interrogations. However the court pointed out that the prosecution had not yet procured a translator. At this point, the prosecution said it had no problem with the pirates being sent to judicial custody.

During the hearing, judge Chandralal Meshram asked the pirates their ages. However, all the pirates appeared to not understand English and only one of them, 37-year-old Usman Salad Eid, knew Hindi. Eid was also the senior-most member of the group. When asked if they had any complaint against the police, Eid answered in Hindi, "Kuch nahin."

All but one of the pirates had signed their names in English on documents submitted in court. The exception was a thumb impression. Most of the pirates said they were under the age of 20.

Among the 15 pirates, 12 are Somali, two Kenyan and one Ethiopian. Some pirates had orange trousers and others beige ones; all pants bore the name 'E Land Club'. The pirates also wore similar-patterned striped shirts.

With respect to the bail application, defence advocate R N Shaili only said, "They are innocent." The 15 Africans have been booked under several sections of the Indian Penal Code, including for rioting, rioting with weapons and attempt to murder.
tsarkar
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Re: Indian Navy and International Anti-Piracy Ops

Post by tsarkar »

^^ They're better fed and clothed in our jails. Big mistake getting them here, they'll enjoy the public tamasha. Should have been shot like Operation Leech in 1998.
JE Menon
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Re: Indian Navy and International Anti-Piracy Ops

Post by JE Menon »

I'm sure there are other considerations...

This is not going to be a one time thing. We need to establish confidence about our activities, operations and prospective role in the area, if you catch my drift. People watching include the big powers and the rim states with the capacity to monitor and understand these things :)

Not that I'm against Leech removals ...
ramana
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Re: Indian Navy and International Anti-Piracy Ops

Post by ramana »

So the judge couldn't get any MEA intepreters to speak Somali? I thought Kenyans speak Swahili.

Is piracy a crime in India?
Mukesh.Kumar
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Re: Indian Navy and International Anti-Piracy Ops

Post by Mukesh.Kumar »

Panic buttons pressed on capture of Italian tanker. Wonder what's the response going to be.

BBC Report
Kailash
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Re: Indian Navy and International Anti-Piracy Ops

Post by Kailash »

Indian Navy arrests 61 pirates, rescues 13 sailors
In a major breakthrough in its anti-piracy operations, the Indian Navy Monday said it had arrested 61 heavily armed pirates and rescued 13 sailors from captivity in the Arabian Sea, about 600 nautical miles west of India.

"The navy's INS Kalpeni intercepted pirate mother vessel Vega 5 in the sea Saturday 9 p.m. Thirteen crew members were rescued and 61 pirates nabbed," a navy spokesperson said.

The rescued sailors and arrested pirates, whose nationality was being ascertained, were being brought to Mumbai and Kochi.
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