Indian Navy foils Somali pirates' plot, rescues 20 Iranian crew from hijacked ship

Key Points:

• The Indian Navy successfully rescued all 20 crew members of the Iranian fishing vessel Azini, hijacked by heavily armed Somali pirates in the Arabian Sea, after a 48-hour coordinated operation supported by the Indian Air Force.
• The vessel was seized off the northeastern coast of Somalia, raising concerns it could be used as a "mother ship" for further pirate attacks on commercial shipping lanes in the Gulf of Aden and western Indian Ocean.
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh praised the Navy's high operational readiness and decisive response, highlighting India's commitment to safeguarding maritime security and stability in the Indian Ocean Region.
• The rescue comes amid a resurgence of Somali piracy, with multiple hijackings and attacks on commercial vessels in recent months, reversing a decade-long decline due to international naval patrols and maritime security improvements.
• This resurgence adds to regional security challenges already complicated by conflicts involving Iran, Yemen’s Houthi rebels, and disruptions in strategic waterways such as the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb Strait.