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18 Indians on hijacked ship in Somalia, Navy seeks nod to pursue pirates |
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There are at least 18 Indians in the 22-strong crew aboard the Japanese vessel MT Stolt Valor which has been hijacked by sea pirates near the Gulf of Eden in Somalia. Reports reaching coast guards Mumbai-based Maritime Rescuer Coordination said 15 Somalian pirates boarded the vessel and took over the ship. They have not made any demand so far . This is the second time in recent months of hijacking of the ship with Indians on board.
With increased incidents of attack on Indian sailors in the high seas, the Navy has sought Government permission to patrol pirate-infested areas and take on any means to protect Indian citizens. With India increasing the number of patrols in the neighbourhood over the past few years as part of a plan of national projection, naval warships are usually deployed in pirate-infested areas like the Somalia coast and the Horn of Africa at any given time. “Somalia has already given clearance to foreign warships to enter its territorial waters to tackle piracy. The Navy has asked for the authority to act on any intelligence inputs about piracy and take means necessary to protect Indian ships,” a senior official said.
India in US list of major illicit drug producers
The US has placed India among the world’s major illicit drug producing and transit countries alongside Afghanistan and Pakistan, while praising its government for strong counter-narcotic measures and efforts to curb the illegal production. President George Bush’s memorandum to the Secretary of State expressed concerns over illegal poppy production in certain parts of India such as West Bengal and areas along the border with China, but said the inclusion in the list did not adversely reflect the government’s counter narcotics efforts or level of cooperation with the US. “The Government of India maintains a strong tack record of regulating, monitoring, and curbing illicit opium production and distribution process. India has introduced robust, high-tech methods to control cultivation by licensed opium farmers,” the President’s memorandum said.
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