Indian Navy’s capture of pirate ship showcases India’s world-class special forces: Western analysts

Washington: The Indian Navy’s dramatic rescue of a industrial ship from pirates off Somalia’s coast exhibits how India’s navy has developed particular forces capabilities on par with a few of the world’s greatest, based on Western analysts. The Indian Navy seized MV Ruen, a former Maltese-flagged bulk service, rescued 17 hostages and captured 35 armed pirates within the almost 40-hour operation round 2,600 km from the Indian coast final week.

“The success of the operation marks the Indian Navy as a top-class drive by way of coaching, command and management and different capabilities,” CNN quoted John Bradford, Council on International Relations Worldwide Affairs fellow, as saying.

“What marks this operation as spectacular is how danger was minimised by utilizing a coordinated drive that features using a warship, drones, fixed- and rotary-wing plane, and marine commandos,” Bradford mentioned.

The Navy deployed warship INS Kolkata, long-endurance Sea Guardian drones, P-8I surveillance plane and airdropped elite MARCOS commandos from a C-17 aircraft to rescue the Bulgarian-owned ship.

Consultants concern the risky safety state of affairs within the Pink Sea on account of assaults by Yemen-based Houthi rebels on industrial delivery might tie up worldwide forces and supply a window for Somali pirates within the close by Horn of Africa – presenting a multi-billion-dollar risk to the worldwide financial system.

Somali pirates’ seize of the MV Ruen in December final 12 months marked the primary profitable hijacking of a vessel off the strife-torn nation’s coast since 2017. The vessel was hijacked by Somali pirates on December 14 final 12 months and was reported to have sailed out as a pirate ship in direction of conducting acts of piracy on the excessive seas, the Indian Navy mentioned. However when the Ruen, now operated by a pirate crew, final week left Somali waters with the intent of committing acts of piracy on the excessive seas, the Indian Navy made strikes to intercept it, based on a navy assertion posted on social platform X.

Analyst Carl Schuster, a former US Navy captain, mentioned the incident highlighted the professionalism of the Indian Navy and mentioned India’s marine commando drive, often called MARCOS, had realized from its US and British counterparts.

“The Indian Navy itself is a extremely educated and disciplined skilled drive,” Schuster mentioned.

“MARCOS’ almost eight months of coaching is modelled after Britain’s SAS. Regardless of a really intense choice course of, solely about 10% to fifteen% of those that enter the coaching graduate,” he mentioned.

The analysts famous that the Indian Navy is skilled in anti-piracy operations, going again greater than 20 years – and the restive safety state of affairs in one of many world’s main delivery lanes meant they had been more likely to be referred to as on once more.

“The Indian present of drive proved an excessive amount of for the pirates,” CNN commented. It additionally famous that Bulgarian President Rumen Radev has thanked India for rescuing the hijacked vessel and its crew.