Will fish out pirates: India to Somalia

NEW DELHI: India, which is planning to send four more warships to the Gulf of Aden, has already conveyed to Somalia that it will use all necessary means to fight pirates who have targeted merchant ships passing through one of the world���s strategic shipping lanes off the coast of Somalia.

``We have conveyed through the Permanent Representative of Somalia (in the UN) of our desire to use all necessary mean to repress acts of piracy,������ secretary (east) in the ministry of external affairs N Ravi said. The Indian Navy had sunk a pirate ship in the Gulf of Aden in the first successful offensive against the pirates who have become a big menace for merchant ships.

After the Indian offensive against the pirates, the Indian government is now considering the option of augmenting forces in the pirate-infested waters. At present India has deployed INS Tabar, a stealth guided missile frigate, that has successfully defended two merchant ships against a pirate attack and ensured safe passage of many more.
The proposal is to send four more warships to the region. Naval officials also met defence minister A K Antony to discuss matters related to the continuing naval operation.

But even as the Navy takes a decision at augmenting its efforts in the Gulf of Aden, there is also consensus within the Navy and the government that the menace can only be tackled effectively if there is a coordinated international effort to take on the pirates who have managed to grab the world���s attention by seizing a number of ships including Saudi owned supertanker. At the moment countries are only defending their own merchant ships.

India has been pushing for such an international effort and at a recent meeting of the International Maritime Organisation had revived a proposal to set up a UN peacekeeping force to take on pirates in the region. ���These proposals are under consideration,��� said Mr Ravi, adding that a concrete proposal would emerge after consultations in the UN.

Mr Ravi also pointed out that were two United Nations Security Council resolutions on piracy. UN resolution 1816, which was approved on June 2, 2008, allows foreign navies to enter Somalian territorial waters to pursue pirates while resolution 1838, which was passed on October 20, 2008, authorises the use of ���necessary means��� to combat piracy in international waters. India can take action under these two resolutions but there is recognition that a more substantive resolution is needed for a coordinated international effort.

However, India is not isolated in its call for an international effort. The US and other countries have also talked about the need for an international effort against pirates. The US said that it is worked in the Security Council to pass a new resolution piracy.

���It���s an international problem. You���re not going to solve this ��� the US is not going to solve this alone,��� State Department spokesman Sean McCormack was quoted as saying. Similarly, an anti-piracy watchdog, which welcomed the sinking of the pirate ship, also called for an international effort. ���If all warships do this, it will be a strong deterrent. But if it���s just a rare case, then it won���t work,��� Noel Choong, who heads the International Maritime Bureau���s piracy reporting centre told an agency.