According to Reuters, India will bring in and prosecute 35 Somali pirates captured by its navy after they hijacked a ship off the coast of Somalia. This marks a shift from its previous approach of rescuing hijacked vessels and crew but not prosecuting the disarmed pirates.
As informed, the captured pirates are expected to reach India on Saturday and will be transferred to law enforcement authorities, stated an official who requested anonymity due to lack of authorization to speak to the media.
Indian naval commandos successfully released the Malta-flagged commercial vessel MV Ruen on 16th March. The ship had been seized by Somali pirates on 14th December, approximately 450 nautical miles east of Socotra in the northern Arabian Sea.
In the past, India’s navy would typically prosecute and incarcerate pirates responsible for significant attacks. However, in recent months, there has been a shift, with the navy opting to leave pirates at sea. According to the official, the pirates from the Ruen incident will be the first to face prosecution in India in several years.
Furthermore, Reuters highlights that since December, India has stationed a minimum of twelve warships in the Gulf of Aden and the northern Arabian Sea. This deployment allows India to provide assistance to vessels located to the east of the Red Sea.
