Navy destroyer's strategic deployment foiled hijack bid

NEW DELHI HAS ALWAYS BEEN CLEAR THAT IT IS COMMITTED TO KEEPING SEA LANES SAFE FROM SOMALI PIRATES

- Shishir Gupta

INS Chennai, the guided missile destroyer that intercepted the hijacked vessel MV Lila Norfolk and rescued 21 crew members, was able to do so simply because it had been deployed strategically by Indian naval planners, and for the very purpose, people familiar with the matter said.

On Friday, in a daring operation, Indian marine commandos intercepted, then boarded the hijacked ship, and rescued the crew.

INS Chennai, the people cited in the first instance said, was among the warships deployed off the African seaboard, south of the Red Sea, and in the Arabian Sea, by naval planners under direction from the Narendra Modi government, since October 2023.

New Delhi has always been clear that it is committed to keeping sea lanes safe from Somali pirates, an objective that has expanded in recent weeks to deal with the challenge posed by Houthi militia against commercial shipping in north Arabian sea.