Indian navy to pursue pirates into Somali waters

The Indian Navy has been authorized for "hot pursuit" of pirates into Somali waters, the local media reported Friday.

    An official said the navy had been given the permission by the Defence Ministry of India to chase Somali pirates across the country's maritime boundary under certain circumstances. "Different laws apply when it comes to chasing pirates in territorial waters of another country. In the case of Somalia, we now have this permission. It will go a long way in checking piracy," he said, the Hindustan Times reported.

    The navy is also planning to strengthen its presence in the Gulf of Aden, the report said. INS Tabar, an Indian frigate with marine commandos sank a pirate vessel in international waters south-west of Oman on Wednesday, which has been patrolling the waters off the Gulf of Aden since October 23. The navy said a destroyer will soon be deployed there to secure maritime trade and protect Indian assets.

    "We are considering a proposal to increase the number of warships in the Gulf of Aden," a navy official said.

    The mandate to take on pirates in Somali waters is being seen as a major step forward that will enable the navy to protect Indian vessels more effectively.

    The navy said that India would be looking at an international effort, under the U.N. banner, to protect merchant traffic on the crucial trade route, the Indian Express said.

    According to the U.N. Security Council Resolution 1816, only states cooperating with Somalia's transitional government can enter its waters, the report said.