Indian warship for anti-piracy operations in Seychelles

New Delhi, May 7 (PTI) With sea pirates increasing
their activities off Seychelles Islands, the Indian Navy has
sent another warship to the region to take on anti-piracy
roles in tandem with foreign navies already there.

Navy sources said here Thursday that an Offshore
Patrol Vessel was sent to Seychelles recently to relieve its
hydrographic survey vessel, INS Nirdeshak, which was diverted
for anti-piracy patrol to the Island nation's waters two weeks
ago.

"The offshore patrol vessel, which is escorting the
Seychelles fast attack craft 'Topaz' following the latter's
refit in Vishakapatnam, is likely to stay back in the Island
nation's waters for a few days carrying out patrols," the
sources said.

The Navy move comes due to increased pirate attacks on
ships in the region, following their activities being
curtailed by the increased presence of foreign warships in the
Gulf of Aden.

"There is a suspicion that the Somali pirates, who
were earlier operating in Gulf of Aden, have shifted base to
Seychelles islands," a Navy source said.

Armed with a request from Seychelles to help it ward
off the sea bandits operating near its territorial waters,
India had sent 'Nirdeshak' to carry out anti-piracy patrolling
in the troubled waters.

Navy sources said there were reports of half-a-dozen
pirate attacks on ships around Seychelles in just four days
since April 30, including the hijacking of a British-owned
cargo vessel with a 24-member Ukrainian crew on May 1 and an
attack on a French warship on May 3 mistaking it to be a cargo
vessel.

"With the situation in these pirate-infested waters
looking grim, the Navy is likely to have one of its warships
nearer to Seychelles island from now, replacing the existing
ship after every fortnight or a month," sources said.

India got into serious anti-piracy roles last November
in the Gulf of Aden following a series of attacks on Cargo
ships in the region.

The Navy first sent 'INS Tabar', a frigate, to the
region where it warded off three pirate attacks and sunk a
mother pirate ship.

Since then, Indian Navy has one of its large warship
permanently sailing the Gulf of Aden waters, escorting cargo
vessels of Indian origin and other countries, whenever a
request was made. PTI NCB
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