Maritime Piracy

09-01-2024

Context:

Indian Navy conducted a mission to release Indian crew members from a ship taken over by Somali pirates in the northern Arabian Sea.

Pirates are like sea thieves who board ships without permission, usually to steal things or demand money.
Article 101 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) defines piracy as any illegal acts of violence, detention, or robbery committed on the high seas or outside the jurisdiction of any state. It may include taking control of ships, kidnapping passengers or crew members, etc which is considered a serious maritime crime.
The "high seas" refer to areas of the ocean that are not under the jurisdiction of any single country and belong to everyone.

Piracy and Militant activities have increased in the Red Sea region, especially after the Hamas-Israel conflict.
It is being said that these activities are being carried out by a Yemen-led group named Houthis.
Such activities create challenges for international trade and security of people. It is to be noted that the Red Sea accounts for around 12% of the Global Trade.
Indian Navy, in recent times, have been called upon by many ships belonging to countries like Malta, Gabon for help against such pirates.

Africa	Asia	South America
Northwest Africa Gulf of Guinea Somalia Horn of Africa	Red Sea Gulf of Aden Indian Ocean Indian subcontinent Southeast Asia	Coastal areas of Brazil Gulf of Paria

UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) (1982)	The treaty was signed in Montego Bay, Jamaica. It defines maritime zones, rights, and responsibilities of nations regarding the use of oceans.
Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Maritime Navigation (1988)	It aims to prevent unlawful acts such as terrorism and other illegal activities that threaten the safety of ships.
Indian Ocean Rim Association (1997)	It is a regional forum comprising coastal countries bordering the Indian Ocean that cooperate in areas such as maritime safety and security, trade facilitation, disaster risk management, etc
Combined Maritime Forces (2002)	It is a multinational maritime partnership of 39 countries, led by the USA. India is a member of this force.
Operation Atalanta (2008)	EU-led counter-piracy military operation in the Horn of Africa region and in the Western Indian Ocean
International Fusion Centre (2018)	A facility that promotes the sharing of maritime data and intelligence among multiple countries.
Operation Prosperity Guardian (2023)	US-led military operation formed in December 2023 to respond to Houthi-led attacks on shipping in the Red Sea

Anti-piracy patrols and surveillance	Indian Navy keeps a close watch on the seas especially the Gulf of Aden since 2008 as it has remained highly affected by pirates.
Coastal Surveillance Network	India has set up radars and started utilising Aerial Drones along the coast to watch for anything suspicious.
National Command Control Communication and Intelligence Network	This is like a high-tech system that helps India quickly handle any problems at sea by using different ways of communication and information.
National Maritime Domain Awareness Project (2014)	It will provide “actionable intelligence” to the Navy for tackling maritime threats. "Actionable intelligence" means having useful, ready-to-use information to make smart decisions or take effective action.
SAGAR Policy (2015)	"SAGAR" stands for Security and Growth for All in the Region. It is India's maritime doctrine or policy aimed at promoting security and sustainable development in the Indian Ocean region.
Maritime Anti-Piracy Act (2022)	It gives effect to the UNCLOS treaty by penalising piracy on high seas.