India plans new law to deal with piracy

NEW DELHI: Faced with repeated instances of piracy in the high seas with Indians' wellbeing at stake, New Delhi is putting together a robust mechanism to deal with the menace, contemplating and working on not just a new domestic law against piracy but also negotiating with the littoral states of Somalia and some independent ones within it to ensure that acts of piracy do not go unpunished because of logistical, legal or diplomatic issues.

The law, according to senior officials, has been in the works for some months now with the ministries of shipping, external affairs, defence, law and home affairs working in close cooperation. The legislation will put together some of the vital points of international laws against piracy, provisions of the IPC and the admiralty laws. It will, however, not be of any help in the negotiation process after Indians aboard a ship have been taken hostage which, according to experts in the field, often proves to be a major hurdle especially when the liners belong to smaller shipping companies.

"It will be a comprehensive piece against piracy. For example, now our domestic laws do not even define piracy. This has made it difficult to try the 120-odd pirates who are at present in our custody. The importance of international cooperation is immense. The reason we are trying to involve countries like Kenya, Tanzania and Seychelles is because if our Navy captures pirates in the Gulf of Aden, it is hardly feasible for them to bring them all the way back to be tried and prosecuted. Impunity is the biggest bane of piracy and it is important to resolve that," explained a senior official involved with the process of both the drafting of the law and the international negotiations.

Many countries have already put together a law and have understanding with the nations surrounding Somalia on prosecution of pirates as per a resolution adopted in the United Nations Security Council. Seychelles has an agreement with Somalia based on which they can try pirates and send them back home to serve the punishment. India to is planning something on these lines.

Officials say it is a matter of some relief that no Indian-flagged ship has ever been targeted by pirates but the government does not want to sit back but tackle the menace with active cooperation from the international community.