Rajnath Singh says attackers on merchant vessels will be hunted down

Union defence minister Rajnath Singh said on Tuesday that the perpetrators of the attacks on two merchant ships would be hunted down from the depths of sea.

Singh said that the Centre has taken the incidents involving the drone attack on MV Chem Pluto in the Arabian Sea and the attack on MV Sai Baba in the Red Sea seriously and was taking steps to prevent such attacks in future.

“The Indian Navy has strengthened the vigil. Whosoever is involved behind the incident we would find them from the depths of the sea and strong action would be taken,” Singh said.

Indian Navy chief Admiral R Hari Kumar said that that to counter and drone attacks on merchant shipping, the Navy has deployed several assets including four destroyers of Project 15B-class and Project 15A-class, P-8I long-range maritime patrol aircraft, Dorniers, Sea Guardians, helicopters and so as the Coast Guard ships.

Singh and Admiral Kumar were in Mumbai for the commissioning of INS Imphal, a Project 15B-class stealth guided missile destroyer known as the Visakhapatnam-class ships.

Singh said India's growing economic and strategic power has filled some forces with jealousy and hatred.

“India plays the role of a Net Security Provider in the entire Indian Ocean Region. We will ensure that maritime trade in this region touches greater heights. For this, together with our friendly countries, we will keep the sea lanes secure. We have full confidence in the ability and strength of our Navy,” said Singh.

Singh reiterated the government’s resolve to lay equal emphasis on the modernisation of all the three Services to safeguard national interests, stating that earlier governments focussed only on protecting the country from land-based threats.

He pointed out that with the Himalayas in the north and the hostile behaviour of Pakistan in the west, most of India’s goods trade comes through sea, which makes it an island country from a ‘trade’ perspective. “There is a need to continuously develop the Navy’s capabilities as global trade is of great importance to India to secure its national interests,” he added.