Indian Navy rescues 20 Iranian sailors from pirate-held vessel Azini off Somalia, Tehran praises mission

New Delhi: The Indian Navy rescued 20 Iranian crew members from the pirate-held fishing vessel Azini in the Arabian Sea after an anti-piracy operation lasting more than 48 hours. The mission ended on Monday, more than 3,000 kilometers from Mumbai, with a naval warship, reconnaissance aircraft and marine commandos working alongside the Indian Air Force.

All 20 people rescued were safe, with no reported injuries, the defence ministry said on Tuesday. The defence minister, Rajnath Singh, praised the operation and the Air Force’s timely support in a post on X.

Azini was hijacked on October 29 between Bandar Bayla and Hafun, off Somalia’s north-eastern coast, the Associated Press reported, citing a Puntland maritime police officer. The Indian Navy warned that pirates could have used the captured vessel as a “mother ship” to launch further attacks on merchant shipping.

A discrepancy remains over how many people were originally aboard. The Puntland officer told AP that the fishing vessel carried 21 Iranian crew members and two Somali security guards when seized, whereas the Indian Navy reported rescuing 20 crew members. The Navy’s Tuesday statement did not explain the difference.

The threat of further piracy prompted a mission-deployed Indian warship and maritime reconnaissance aircraft to search for the vessel. Persistent surveillance helped the platforms locate Azini, track its movements and prevent an escape, according to the ministry.

The Navy said it employed calibrated “non-kinetic measures” during the containment phase but did not specify what those measures involved. It also did not identify the warship in its official account.

Marine Commandos were reinforced through a precision airdrop conducted by an Indian Air Force C-17 transport aircraft. Naval personnel subsequently secured the fishing vessel and overcame the pirate threat, completing the release of the 20 crew members without reported casualties.

Singh congratulated the forces for the “meticulously coordinated” mission. He said the operation showed the Navy’s preparedness to respond to maritime threats far from India’s coastline and reaffirmed the country’s commitment to safe shipping routes.

Iran’s embassy in New Delhi thanked India, the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force for rescuing 20 Iranian nationals. In a post on X on Tuesday, it praised the forces’ “professionalism, courage and effective coordination”, describing the mission as a reflection of India’s humanitarian commitment and an example of friendship, solidarity and cooperation between the two countries.

The Navy’s statement did not identify the pirates, say whether any were detained or describe weapons seized during the intervention.

India has maintained anti-piracy deployments in the Gulf of Aden and off East Africa since 2008, according to the defence ministry. These patrols seek to safeguard seafarers and commercial vessels crossing the western Indian Ocean.

In March 2024, the Navy intercepted the hijacked merchant vessel MV Ruen after more than 40 hours of operations, securing the surrender of 35 Somali pirates and rescuing 17 crew members. An Indian Air Force C-17 also supported that mission.

The latest operation highlighted inter-service coordination in maritime security, the defence ministry said, describing India as a first responder and preferred security partner in the Indian Ocean region.