(CNN) — The Indian Navy’s rescue of a commercial ship captured by pirates off the coast of Somalia last weekend shows how New Delhi’s military has developed special forces capabilities on par with some of the world’s best armies, according to analysts.
According to an Indian Navy press release, the Navy rescued 17 crew members from MV Rouen during an anti-piracy operation that lasted for about two days, but no casualties were reported. Dozens of pirates were arrested, he said.
According to the statement, the operation involved a naval destroyer, a patrol boat, an Indian Air Force C-17 transporter, which flew over 2,400 kilometers to airdrop the marine commandos, a naval drone, a reconnaissance drone and One P-8 surveillance aircraft was involved.
John Bradford, fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and International Affairs, said, “The success of the operation marks the Indian Navy as a world-class force in terms of training, command and control and other capabilities.”
“What makes this operation impressive is how the risks were minimized through the use of coordinated force including the use of warships, drones, fixed and rotary wing aircraft and marine commandos.”
Experts fear that the unstable security situation in the Red Sea due to attacks by Yemen-based Houthi rebels on commercial shipping could paralyze international forces and provide a window for Somali pirates in the nearby Horn of Africa, who Represents a billion-dollar threat. Global Economy.
Yemen and Somalia are among the poorest countries in the region, both ravaged by years of civil war.
The capture of the MV Ruane by Somali pirates in December last year marked the first successful hijacking of a ship off the country’s coast since 2017.
According to a December report by the European Union Naval Force, Spanish, Japanese and Indian warships tracked the Maltese-flagged and Bulgarian-managed bulk carrier when it was towed into Somalia’s territorial waters.
But according to a Navy statement posted on the social platform Took measures for.
According to the Indian statement, the destroyer INS Kolkata, which operates in the area to help ensure international maritime security, used a ship-launched drone to confirm that Rouen was not being operated by armed pirates. Had been.
A helicopter flies over the commercial vessel MV Rouen during an Indian military anti-piracy operation last weekend. Defense Ministry/GDP
The statement said that after the pirates fired at the drone, destroying it and then firing at the Indian warship, Kolkata responded by firing at the Rouen, disabling its steering and navigation.
As Kolkata demanded the pirates’ surrender, the commandos parachuted in after a 10-hour flight from India, the Air Force reported in the news. Rafts were also launched into the sea from larger sea transports to reach Rouen.
The display of Indian power proved too much for the pirates.
“Due to sustained pressure and deliberate action by the Indian Navy in the last 40 hours, all 35 Somali pirates surrendered,” the Navy statement said.
Bulgarian leaders, including President Rumen Radev, thanked India and its Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the operation.
“I express my heartfelt gratitude to (Modi) for the gallant action of the Navy in rescuing the hijacked Bulgarian ship ‘Rouen’ and its crew including seven Bulgarian nationals,” Radev posted on Twitter.
Analyst Carl Schuster, a former US Navy captain, said the incident highlighted the professionalism of the Indian Navy and said Delhi’s marine commando force, known as MARCOS, had learned from its American and British counterparts.
“The Indian Navy itself is a highly trained and disciplined professional force,” Schuster said.
“Marcos’s approximately eight-month training is modeled on the British SAS. Despite a very intensive selection process, only between 10% to 15% of those entering the training graduate,” he said.
Analysts said the Indian Navy has more than 20 years of experience in anti-piracy operations, and the volatile security situation in one of the world’s main shipping routes means they are likely to be called upon again.
At a press conference in January, a spokesperson for India’s Ministry of External Affairs said that maritime security in the region is a priority for India.
Official spokesperson Mr Randhir Jaiswal said, “The activities going on there are certainly a matter of concern and affect our economic interests.”
“We are constantly monitoring the situation,” he said. Our naval forces and warships are committed to ensuring the security of our commercial vessels,” Jaiswal said.