India will prosecute the 35 Somali pirates apprehended during an operation to liberate a hijacked vessel off the coast of Somalia, as confirmed by a navy official. The individuals are expected to arrive in India on Saturday, where they will be transferred to law enforcement custody. Previously, India’s focus had been on liberating hijacked vessels, often releasing disarmed pirates at sea without pursuing charges. The specific charges against the pirates have not been disclosed by the navy official.
On Saturday, the Indian navy successfully seized control of the Malta-flagged commercial ship MV Ruen, which had been commandeered by pirates in the Northern Arabian Sea on December 14th. This incident marked the first commercial ship hijacking by Somali pirates since 2017. At the peak of their activity in 2011, Somali pirate operations cost the global economy an estimated $7 billion.
India has taken measures since December to deploy approximately a dozen boats for policing the Gulf of Aden, aiming to prevent Houthi attacks on commercial vessels linked to Israel. The Houthis, who dominate much of Yemen, have pledged to target ships traversing the Gulf of Aden until Israel ceases what they denounce as genocide in Gaza.
In a separate development, the Indian navy reported late Saturday that it had regained control of a bulk carrier previously hijacked by Somali pirates, rescuing its 17 crew members. All 35 pirates aboard the Maltese-flagged MV Ruen surrendered during the operation, which lasted about 40 hours and involved drones, navy vessels, and marine commandos.
This successful intervention followed an altercation where individuals on the bulk carrier fired upon an Indian warship in international waters, prompting the navy’s interception of the vessel approximately 2,600 kilometers off the Indian coast. The MV Ruen was initially boarded by pirates near the Yemeni island of Socotra on December 14th.
While Somali pirate activities have decreased in recent years, concerns persist that they may resurge amid regional political instability and chaos, including attacks on ships by Yemen’s Houthi rebels. Notably, a Bangladesh-flagged cargo ship with 23 crew members was hijacked earlier in the week off Somalia, with the European Union monitoring the situation.
India has recently demonstrated its naval prowess in international waters through anti-piracy patrols and notable deployments near the Red Sea to safeguard ships during conflicts such as Israel’s confrontation with Hamas. The Indian navy has provided assistance to at least four merchant vessels targeted by Houthi forces, deploying three guided missile destroyers and reconnaissance aircraft for these operations.
