NEW DELHI: The Indian Navy confirmed that an Indian Navy warship was directed toward a hijacked Liberian-flagged vessel in the Arabian Sea. Aircraft were actively monitoring the situation, as reported by the Indian Navy on Friday. The MV Lila Norfolk, with at least 15 Indian crew members aboard, was hijacked near Somalia’s coast, prompting the Indian Navy’s intervention upon receiving Thursday evening’s intelligence report from Indian news agency ANI, associated with Reuters.
According to the Indian navy’s statement, the vessel signaled distress via the UK Maritime Trade Operations portal, reporting the presence of five to six armed individuals boarding on Jan. 4.
The INS Chennai was diverted and dispatched by the Indian navy to aid the hijacked vessel, with a naval aircraft establishing contact during an overflight on Friday, as mentioned in the statement. This action follows heightened surveillance by the Indian navy in the Arabian Sea due to recent attacks in the region.
Earlier this week, the navy disclosed its scrutiny of numerous fishing vessels and the boarding of vessels of interest in the North and Central Arabian Sea.
“India plays the role of a net security provider in the entire Indian Ocean region.
We will ensure that maritime trade in this region rises from the sea to the heights of the sky,“ Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said last month of the increased surveillance in the region.
