On March 15, 2024, Indian Navy Warships successfully intercepted a Pirated ship, marking a significant step in Combating Piracy on the High seas. However, she met with resistance as the pirate ship opened fire on her Warship, INS Kolkata. Indian Navy had closely monitored said pirate ship since her seizure in December 2023. The Pirated ship, which escaped into Somalian waters, was closely tracked, culminating in a daring rescue effort, “Operation Sankalp”, with the resultant freedom of 17 Hostage Crew Members and the surrender of 35 Somali Pirates. It has demonstrated how India has developed Special Force capabilities at/on par with some of the World’s Best and won accolades from Defence Experts around the World.
Malta Flagged Motor Vessel (MV) Ruen left Gwangyang Port, South Korea, in the First week of December 2023, with a cargo of approximately 37,800 tonnes of Metals worth over One point Three Million Dollars. As speed boats carrying Somali Pirates bore down on her position in the Western Indian Ocean, the crew of a Bulk Carrier sent out a distress signal and called an emergency hotline. But no one could reach them in time, and Pirates took control of that ship. A week later, MV Ruen was anchored off the Coastal Area in the North Eastern Puntland Province of Somalia, where it remained for over Three Months till she was made to venture out at the High Seas and subsequently rescued by the Indian Navy. The loss of MV Ruen to Pirates was perceived/ seen as a fresh Resurgence of Piracy on the High Seas. It is reliably learned that no ransom payment has been made, but negotiations about a payoff in the millions of Dollars to release MV Ruen were ongoing. Rumen Radev, President of Bulgaria and the Directors of the Company managing MV Ruen, did not comment on ransom negotiations. Still, both praised and were grateful to the Indian Navy for the safe return of their Seamen.
Waterways off Somalia include some of the Busiest Shipping Lanes in the World. Each year, an estimated 20,000 Ships/Vessels, carrying everything from Furniture and Apparel to Grains and Fuel, pass through the Gulf of Aden on their way to and from the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, which is the shortest Maritime Route between Europe and Asia. It was here that Somali Pirates attacked/looted 486 Merchant Ships and held hundreds of hostages to date. The estimated cost of goods and ransom is more than Nine Billion Dollars. To date, these raids are piling Risks and Costs onto shipping companies, who are also now facing Repeated Drone and Missile Strikes by the Houthi Militia of Yemen in the Red Sea/ other nearby waters. Somali Pirates are taking advantage of the distraction provided by Houthi Strikes several hundred Nautical Miles to the North to get back into piracy after lying dormant for nearly a decade.
Somali Pirates, travelling in small, powered boats, clambered aboard MV Ruen, firing automatic weapons and taking over the ship without any resistance. The crew was damn scared, and two Armed Guards were helplessly overwhelmed by Pirates. It was a successful hijack executed on December 14, 2023. When Pirates were clambering on board, all crew members, including the Captain, locked themselves up in the ship’s Citadel.
Captain immediately sent “Save Our Soul Alert” to the Joint Operation Center in Atlanta, after which a Spanish Frigate Victoria was directed to close into MV Ruen to get Information, Plan/evaluate future possible actions and coordinate with Somali/ Regional Security Partners. By the same afternoon, Pirates broke into Citadel and took all crew as Hostage. On December 15, 2023, an Indian Maritime Patrol Aircraft spotted MV Ruen and established Radio Contact with the crew. Crew Members were individuals hailing from Angola, Bulgaria, and Myanmar. On December 16, 23, the Japanese Navy ship Akebono, a member of Task Force 151 of Combined Maritime Forces of the European Union and INS Kochi of the Indian Navy, joined Frigate Victoria. Since then, UAV scan eagles in Somali Territorial Waters have observed MV Ruen under shadow. The Pirate Crew moved MV Ruen to the High Seas in the first week of March 24. They were/intended to use her as a Mothership/Launch Pad to commit Piracy at High Sea.
The Information Fusion Centre for the Indian Ocean Region, IFCIOR, of the Indian Navy is a Regional Centre for the Maritime Domain. Throughout, it closely monitored the situation and continuously coordinated with stakeholders. True to her Role in the Region, the Indian Navy has been carrying out Extensive Surveillance, including Monitoring Traffic in Areas of Interest. After analysing the Information in Hand, the Indian Navy could track the Movement Pattern of MV Ruen. The Navy had directed her Stealth Destroyer, INS Kolkata, to take due action at the appropriate time. She intercepted MV Ruen in the early hours of March 15, 2024, at 260 NM East of Somalia and 1400 NM off the Indian Coast. She stopped Pirated Ship with Calibrated Action Drills. In a short while, the Destroyer was ably augmented by a Patrol vessel, INS Subhadra, HALE Naval drone, P8I Maritime Patrol Aircraft and MARCOS, Indian Naval Commandos.
INS Kolkata launched/sent her Spotter Multicopter Drone to get additional information. It is a Surveillance Drone indigenously manufactured by Sagar Defence Engineers Ltd, which can carry 130 kg of Payload at a speed of 22 NM per hour and a range of 84 NM. Indian Navy has 30 such Drones, and another 60 are expected to join her Fleet by the end of 2024/early 25. This Infantry Tech Spotter Drone confirmed the presence of Armed Pirates aboard MV Ruen. After closing in with MV Ruen, INS Kolkata undertook Actions to force Pirates onto the negotiating tables while keeping Spotter Surveillance constantly on. Initially, Pirates refused to participate, audaciously shot down Spotter Drone and fired at INS Kolkata with Rockets and Machine Guns. That was when the Indian Navy decided to undertake tough measures. This was because the Indian Navy always endeavours to ensure the Safety and Security of Mariners in the Indian Ocean Region.
Indian Navy responded with a Measured Force to neutralise Pirate Threat while minimising Collateral Damage. Her Primary Objective was to effect the Safe Release of MV Ruen and Civilians on Board. By International Laws of Sea, INS Kolkata disabled the Steering System and Navigational Aids of MV Ruen. Then she fired Warning Shots with her 76 mm SRGM Ship and Helicopter Machine guns to force the Pirared ship to stop. The fire was near/close to the hijacked ship and not on her/Pirates in control. In turn, Pirates used Crew members of MV Ruen as Human Shields to save themselves from incoming fire.
In response to Grave Threat Looming on the ship and her Crew, Anti Piracy Operation by INS Kolkata was augmented by the deployment of a Patrol ship, INS Subhadra, in the early hours of March 15, 2024. Indian Air Force was also roped in the same afternoon for the Air dropping of Indian Marine Commandos, MARCOS, by C-17 Hercules Transport Aircraft. In addition, MV Ruen was kept under surveillance by MQ 9A High altitude Long Endurance Remotely Piloted Aircraft and P 81 Maritime Reconnaissance Aircraft.
Indian Navy decided to press in services of her MARCOS for swift deployment to secure MV Ruen. MARCOS are instrumental in successfully conducting complex maritime operations due to their specialised training and expertise, which ensure the safety and security of Indian maritime interests. In a remarkable display of jointness and integration, IAF C-17 Aircraft executed a Precision Airborne Drop of two Combat Rubberised Raiding Crafts (CRRC), carrying Two Teams of 11 MARCOS each, simultaneously Paradropping nine Commandos onto a Pirated ship. She flew non-stop for almost 10 hours till she covered 2600 km off the Indian Coast to reach the close vicinity of the pirate ship. While INS Kolkata and Subhadra kept MV Ruen under watch, Rubberised Boats carrying 22 Naval Commandos were slithered down/dropped from C 17 Air craft, precisely 1000 meters from MV Ruen. Commandos steered the boats silently to the Pirated Ship and swiftly clambered aboard, surprising the Pirates. This was augmented by nine paradropped Commandos, thus making a simultaneous move from Air and Sea. Their activities were so swift and deadly that they just had to fire a few shots at the Pirates, not to kill them but to make them surrender. Their gruesome gear and sheer number scared the Pirates out of their wits.
Operation Sankalp was over in just 40 hours, resulting in the surrender of 35 Pirates and the freeing of 17 Crew. MV Ruen was sanitised for Illegal Arms, Ammunition and Contraband. Indian Navy used Minimum Force of direct/ indirect fire from Battleships and Physical Intervention by Commandos. Fire from Battleships and Commando Operations was so swift and accurate that there was no Collateral Damage to the ship or her contents and no casualties. After MV Ruen was brought to Indian Port by towing, the Pirates were handed over to Civil Authorities on March 22, and her seaworthiness was assessed on 22-25 March 24. Capt Sharad Sinsunwal, Skipper of INS Kolkata and his crew neutralised/captured Somali Pirates in a daring operation on the High seas. It brought Worldwide recognition to the Indian Armed Forces.INS Kolkata was awarded an “On the spot Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Citation”.
The successful rescue of MV Ruen would be a Pivotal Moment for the Piracy situation in Current incidences of hijacks. This situation resulted from removing the “High-Risk Area” designation for the Indian Ocean in 2023. High-Risk Area was introduced in 2010 during the peak of the Somalian Piracy Threats. At its height in 2010-11, Pirates carried out 407 attacks and nearly 80 successful hijackings. As of this date, three Groups of 100-150 Pirates operate along the Somali Coast in the Indian Ocean. They use captured ships as Mother ships/Launchpads in an Operational Radius of about 1,000 NM from the Somali coastline. A Volatile Red Sea Situation due to attacks by Houthi Rebels on Commercial Shipping has tied up International Forces and provided a window for Somali Pirates in the nearby Horn of Africa to present a Multi-Billion Dollar threat to the Global Economy.
In mid-March 24, the Bangladesh-flagged merchant ship MV Abdullah was seized by Somali Pirates off the Somali coast. The Indian Navy offered a rescue operation, but the Bangladesh Government and owner of this ship refused for unknown reasons. A ransom demand of Five Million Dollars for the release of 23 Crew members and the ship has been made. The ship was seized while en route from Mozambique to the United Arab Emirates and subsequently taken to Somalia by Pirates.
The Indian Navy has deployed over 35 Warships, including eight Submarines, to monitor the Indian Ocean closely and secure Strategic Waterways following increasing attacks on cargo vessels. Since January 24, the Indian Navy has taken robust measures to address threats in the Indian Ocean, responding to 13 major incidents, including Piracy, Hijacking, and Drone attacks, and saving 110 Crews.
The situation, especially in the Western Indian Ocean, remains unstable with Houthi Rocket/ Missiles attacks and Piracy Incidents. The stance of the Indian Navy is clear in responding to such threats and protecting Vital Sea Lanes to uphold the Global Maritime Security Conduct of Operation Sankalp, which bears testimony to this statement. She is keeping the Indian Ocean under effective surveillance, specifically tracking Chinese Nuclear Submarines and dual-use, Research/Spy ships; Yuan Wang 03, Xiang Yang Hong 01, Xiang Yang Hong 03 and Survey ship Da Yang Hao; through her P 81 Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircrafts, Unmanned aerial vehicles and Warships. We are safe in the strong hands of the Indian Navy, and we are proud of her.
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