Crime of Piracy and How maritime forces respond to it

Crime of Piracy and How maritime forces respond to it

Context: Recently, the Indian Navy prevented 2 piracy attempts off the Somali coast, including the rescue of 19 Pakistani citizens.

Where are major piracy incidents observed and why?
• The west coast of Africa, Gulf of Aden, Horn of Africa, Bangladesh, and the Strait of Malacca have seen piracy attacks.
• The coastal countries have weak maritime forces, or none.
• They are either choke points in shipping routes where ships are forced to converge or slow down by geography, or anchorages where ships remain stationary for days before entering port.
• They fall part of international waters which means they are maritime jurisdiction of several countries. It leads to legal complexities and difficulties in coordination.

How can the Crime of Piracy be challenged? How has Indian Navy responded in such operations?
• A long-term solution lies in uprooting poor governance and unemployment in nations ashore, which feed maritime criminal activities.
• In the short term, the situation at sea has to be contained and stabilized by the world’s maritime forces.
• Indian Navy’s anti-piracy patrol started in 2008. It has foiled several attempts by pirates at hijacking merchant ships.
• The Indian Navy has been practising Maritime Intervention Operations (MIO) for decades, and has developed extremely high expertise in this niche area of naval operations.

How do Maritime Forces Execute Anti-Piracy Operations?
• International Cooperation: Maritime forces often work together in international naval coalitions, such as the Combined Maritime Forces, which includes the Combined Task Forces (CTF) 150, 151, and 152. These forces work on combating piracy off the coast of Somalia.
• Advanced Technology: Modern technology, including drones and satellite imagery, is used to detect and monitor pirate activity.
• Risk Assessment: Maritime forces conduct thorough risk assessments to understand the threat level and determine the most effective response strategies.
• Private Security Resources: Many ships now carry private security teams who are trained to deter and respond to pirate attacks.
• Patrol and Surveillance: Maritime forces maintain a strong presence in high-risk areas, conducting regular patrols and surveillance. For example, the Indian Navy has fielded 12 anti-pirate patrolling ships in the Arabian Sea.