Indian Navy deploys P-8I from Oman on anti-piracy patrols in Gulf of Aden

In an expansion of its Mission Based Deployments (MBD) in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), the Indian Navy deployed its P-8I long-range maritime surveillance aircraft for anti-piracy sorties from Salalah in Oman to patrol the Gulf of Aden.

“Long range maritime reconnaissance Anti-Submarine Warfare aircraft P-8I undertakes anti-piracy patrol sorties from Salalah in the Gulf of Aden and other piracy prone areas in keeping with our MBD philosophy, to keep IOR safe and secure for all,” Navy Spokesperson Capt. D.K. Sharma said in a tweet on Saturday.

The P-8I provided long range Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA), Capt Sharma added. Since 2008, India has been conducting anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden, through which a major share of international commercial traffic passes.

“This was the second time the P-8I operated from Salalah for anti-piracy. It was operated from there for the first time in January,” a defence source said on Sunday.

Foreign ships also

Besides escorting Indian flagged vessels, ships of other countries have also been provided protection, a defence source said. “No ship under Indian escort has thus far been hijacked by pirates,” the source added.

Till date the Indian Navy has escorted 3,440 ships of which 3,027 were of foreign flag and 413 Indian flag. Navy ships also made 414 interventions at sea. The Navy has deployed 73 ships till date on anti-piracy patrols.

Under the MBD concept, the Navy now maintains a ship at every choke point in the IOR at any point of time.

As part of expanding engagement maritime engagement, India has stepped up cooperation with Indian Ocean littoral states and maritime neighbours. For instance, under the ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy, the Indian Navy undertakes Joint Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) surveillance with Maldives, Seychelles and Mauritius and Coordinated Patrols (CORPAT) with Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand and Indonesia. Search and rescue, capacity-building and capability-enhancement activities have also emerged as major areas.

Stressing on the threat of piracy and securing the seas, the source pointed that all island countries depend on tourism and are worried about terrorism disrupting it. India’s assistance in the form of gifting patrol boats, conducting repairs for their ships, helping them develop harbours for their maritime forces are useful steps, the source added.

In March 2016, Navy had deployed a P-8I to Seychelles for surveillance in the EEZ of Seychelles.