Indian Navy Deploys Assets to Track Hijacked Liberian Vessel

Facts

• The Indian navy has deployed a maritime patrol aircraft and a destroyer, the INS Chennai, in response to a hijacking attempt on Liberia-flagged bulk carrier MV Lila Norfolk in the Arabian Sea on Thursday.¹
• On Thursday evening, MV Lila Norfolk reported to the UK Maritime Trade Operations portal that five to six armed persons had boarded it. The aircraft established contact with the crew early Friday, confirming they were safe.²
• The MV Lila Norfolk's crew consists of several Indian nationals. It is currently inside the citadel, the strong room inside a ship which also has communication.³
• The INS Chennai was closing in on the vessel's location to offer assistance, the Indian navy said. It added that, in partnership with global powers and friendly nations, the navy will ensure the safety of merchant ships passing through the region.⁴
• India has increased surveillance in the region substantially following a spate of recent attacks at sea. New Delhi's destroyers and frigates often render assistance to merchant vessels while its patrol aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles also monitor maritime regions.³
• India is also monitoring the recent attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea by Yemen's Houthi militants and its fleets are 'mission deployed' to act in the North and Central Arabian Sea.⁵

Sources: ¹The Indian Express (a), ²Associated Press, ³The Hindu, ⁴Barrons and ⁵The Indian Express (b).

Narratives

• Narrative A, as provided by Indian Defence Review. India's robust naval power is, once again, on display in the Indian Ocean region. Its substantial presence has played a key role in keeping the lanes in one of the world's most important maritime trade routes open and largely safe. India must develop its naval capability further to augment its significant geostrategic location on the world map.
• Narrative B, as provided by Orfonline.Org. The Indian navy's biggest challenge is its slow expansion. It has to account for conventional threats like a rising China as well as asymmetric ones like pirates and the Houthi rebels. India's naval forces may not have the resilience to handle this combination of hazards. New Delhi's desired rise as a maritime power can't happen unless rapid and massive investment and adjustments are made.

Predictions