The Navy, which has been conducting anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden from October 23, has prevented the hijack of an Indian merchant ship, ‘Jag Arnav’, in the Gulf of Aden - an area is infested by heavily-armed Somalian pirates.

The hijack was attempted when the 38,265-tonne bulk carrier, owned by the Great Eastern Shipping Company, was sailing 60 nautical miles east of Aden. The warship, ‘INS Tabar’, patrolling the area, was then 25 nautical miles away from the spot.

It detected the cargo vessel’s SOS, and set off a swift operation to rescue the merchant vessel and escort it to safety. The pirates abandoned their attempt to board ‘Jag Arnav’, following the intervention by the commandos.

India has been emphasizing the importance of maritime security in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Aden, as vital shipping lanes passing through the area. The defence ministry had said the warship was being sent to instill confidence among sailors. More than 90% of India’s foreign trade by volume - 77% by value - is shipped mainly through the Suez Canal.

In its first counter-piracy mission, India had decided to deploy a ship in the region to rescue vessels in distress in troubled waters which provide a vital trade route. The move was prompted by the hijack of a merchant vessel in the Gulf of Aden and a spate of attacks by pirates from Somalia, which is caught up in Islamic insurgency, and other African countries.