More Indian warships likely to fight pirates

NEW DELHI A day after the Indian navy sunk a Somali pirate ship, a move is on to send more ships to the Gulf of Aden to guard the strategic sea lane from more attacks.

The government is seriously considering deploying  four more naval ships to protect merchant vessels flying the Indian flag.

``Yes, we are considering it. A decision will be taken soon,’’ an official who did not wish to be identified said.  India has informed Somalia through its representative at the UN headquarters in New York that the Indian navy had to take retaliatory action when the pirate ship opened fire on the INS Tabar.

Secretary East N.Ravi told reporters on Thursday that the Indian navy had  acted in line with the UN resolution 816 and 1838, which were adopted to fight against piracy in the high seas. Though no country had criticisied the Indian action, Ravi made it clear that the navy had not acted unilaterally and there was international consensus on fighting piracy. 

Navy officials  met defence minister A K Antony  on Thursday to review the situation following the sinking of the Somali ship.

And Navy chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta, speaking on television called for a UN-sponsored arrangement among world navies to carry out anti-piracy operations to safeguard the sea lanes in the Gulf of Aden.

“The government’s stand has been that it would be better if we work under the UN flag,” Admiral Mehta said.

 Stating that Indian Navy would not be able to intervene if foreign merchant ships were hijacked by pirates, Mehta clarified that it was not possible unless the Navy received a specific request in this regard.