The Indian Navy has rescued 20 Iranian crew members from Somali pirates off the coast of Somalia.
The high-stakes operation, which concluded on 2 November, followed the hijacking of the Iranian fishing vessel Azini by armed pirates on 29 October. Working over 48 hours, the Indian Navy deployed a mission-ready warship and maritime reconnaissance aircraft to locate, track and contain the vessel.
Marine Commandos (MARCOS), supported by a precision airdrop from an Indian Air Force C-17 aircraft, subsequently took part in the intervention. All 20 crew members were rescued safely, without casualties or injuries, according to India’s Ministry of Defence. The Navy also prevented the vessel from potentially being used as a mother ship for further pirate attacks on commercial shipping.
The Indian Navy is one of the largest and most powerful navies in the world and has conducted several anti-piracy operations in recent years. In January 2024, INS Sumitra rescued 17 Iranian fishermen from the hijacked vessel Iman before carrying out another operation within 36 hours to free 19 Pakistani crew members aboard Al Naeemi.
In February that year, INS Sharda secured the release of another 19 hostages, comprising 11 Iranians and eight Pakistanis, from the hijacked fishing vessel Omari. These operations demonstrated India’s willingness and ability to protect seafarers regardless of nationality.
In March 2024, the Indian Navy undertook an even more complex operation to liberate the Maltese-flagged merchant vessel MV Ruen, which had been hijacked by Somali pirates. After more than 40 hours of sustained operations involving warships, surveillance aircraft, drones and marine commandos air-dropped by an IAF C-17, all 35 pirates surrendered and the vessel’s original 17 crew members were rescued. The operation took place approximately 2,600 kilometres from India.
Another significant intervention came days later, when Indian naval forces rescued all 23 Pakistani crew members aboard the Iranian fishing vessel Al Kambar, which had been hijacked by armed pirates off Somalia. Nine pirates surrendered following an operation involving two Indian Navy warships. These successive missions underline the Navy’s capacity to respond to multiple maritime emergencies across an extensive operational theatre.
What makes these operations strategically significant is not simply the number of people rescued, but the military capability behind them. The deployment of warships, long-range maritime surveillance aircraft, drones, helicopters and elite special forces demonstrates India’s ability to coordinate complex missions far beyond its coastline. Sustaining such operations requires considerable logistical support, intelligence capabilities and the ability to maintain a continuous naval presence across distant waters.
The Indian Ocean is a critical artery of global commerce, connecting energy-producing regions of the Middle East with major economies in Asia and beyond. Securing these waterways has implications for international trade, energy supplies and regional stability. India’s repeated success in anti-piracy operations demonstrates its increasingly consequential role in global maritime security.
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