Indian Navy Commandos Stop Somali Pirates From Turning Hijacked Iranian Ship Into An Attack Base

The Indian Navy has intercepted a hijacked Iranian fishing vessel after maritime security authorities warned that suspected Somali pirates could use the craft as a floating mother ship to launch further attacks on commercial shipping.

Following a multi-day operation coordinated across the Arabian Sea, marine commandos secured the vessel and freed its captive crew members.

A separate account from a Puntland Maritime Police Force official reported that three people who later came ashore in Somalia had minor injuries. The official did not specify whether they were suspects or guards, or how they were injured.

The intervention successfully halted the potential threat to regional trade routes before the captured vessel could be utilized to launch subsequent high-seas ambushes.

Deployment of Elite Force and Aerial Assets

The rescue operation targeted the Iranian fishing vessel Azini, which had been seized by armed actors on 29 October in the waters between Bandar Bayla and Hafun.

India's Defence Ministry subsequently confirmed that 20 crew members were rescued. However, an earlier account from a Puntland Maritime Police Force official cited by the Associated Press put the number of Iranian crew members at 21, alongside two Somali security guards. The discrepancy between the reported figures had not been explained.

The EU's Maritime Security Centre Indian Ocean also issued an alert warning that the hijacked Azini was approaching a busy commercial shipping lane and could be used as a 'mother ship', or mobile base for launching attacks on larger ships far beyond the reach of pirate speedboats.

Upon receiving notification of the hostile takeover, Indian naval forces initiated a tracking operation utilizing both surface warships and long-range maritime surveillance aircraft.

To secure the vessel, Indian forces deployed Marine Commandos supported by aerial surveillance and naval assets. The Defence Ministry also confirmed that an Indian Air Force C-17 transport aircraft conducted a precision airdrop to reinforce the commandos involved in the operation.

This coordinated effort allowed security forces to have complete control over the Azini on Monday following an operation that lasted more than 48 hours.

Tactical Interception and Pirate Disarmament

Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh confirmed the successful resolution of the multi-day mission on Monday, highlighting the expansive geographic reach required for the interception.

A Puntland Maritime Police Force official, speaking anonymously to the Associated Press, said Indian naval personnel disarmed 12 suspected Somali pirates and confiscated their mobile phones.

Following the disarmament, the suspected pirates were released by the naval forces. They subsequently travelled ashore at Bandar Bayla in northeastern Somalia, along with two local Somali security guards.

Defence Minister Singh said on X that the mission demonstrated the Navy's 'high operational readiness and ability to respond decisively to maritime threats across the region.'

Broader Implications for Regional Maritime Security

The successful recovery of the Azini comes amid a documented resurgence of Somali piracy across the Gulf of Aden and the western Indian Ocean, where multiple commercial vessels have been boarded since April.

The Indian Defence Ministry emphasized that a primary objective of the rapid response was to prevent the Azini from becoming a mobile command centre, as regional authorities feared pirates would use the boat as a floating base for attacks on commercial ships.

This security intervention, occurring roughly 3,000 kilometres from Mumbai, highlights the extended security perimeter currently maintained by international naval patrols. Threats of piracy, combined with ongoing geopolitical tensions affecting the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, still complicate international oil routes.

This has forced some maritime shipments to be diverted, causing even more prolonged transit disruptions.