Indian Coast Guard lauded for anti-piracy operations

The Indian Coast Guard has been praised at a regional conference on maritime safety here for making Indian waters safe and free of piracy. There has been a remarkable decrease in piracy and armed robbery in Indian waters, said Lee Yin Mui, assistant director for research at the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP). There was only one incident of armed robbery in Indian waters as of March this year.

"There was also a remarkable decrease in the number of incidents of armed robbery in Indian waters," said Lee. She highlighted the continuous efforts of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) towards deployment of the operational units at sea/air in the region. "The real time quick action has resulted into on-site apprehensions of the culprits thus making the Indian waters a safe place for the mariners," said Lee at a conference organised yesterday by the ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre (ISC).

"We are pleased to note the significant decrease of the number of incidents last year, but we should not be complacent to think that this is the long-term trend, cautioned Masafumi Kuroki, Executive Director, ReCAAP ISC.

"When you see the resurgence of piracy in the waters off Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden after five years of absence, unfortunately, the piracy and sea robbery do not disappear so easily, he noted. He also pointed out the frequently changing modus operandi of piracy and sea robbery. "The perpetrators are looking for an opportunity for any mode of piracy and sea robbery, as far as it is lucrative. Therefore, we need to be prepared for different types of maritime crimes, said Kuroki. International organisation, law enforcement agency and shipping associations shared their views at the conference.