To bring some relief to the Indian shipping merchants from the haunting fear of piracy threat particularly in the vital Gulf of Aden, it has been decided by the government to form a unit of elite Indian commandos who will accompany the marine commandos of the Indian Navy (MARCOS). Mr. Harendra Singh, Deputy Commandant and Public Relations Officer, Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), said: “The CISF has decided to train 100 personnel to accompany and protect the Indian merchant vessels in the piracy infested waters, especially in the area off the coast of Somalia”. The Gulf of Aden shipping lane is so vital to the trade of India that all efforts should be taken to render the lane one of safe passage to all the merchant vessels. Mr.G.K.Vasan, the Union Shipping Minister, informed the Parliament that the annual Indian import through the Gulf of Aden is estimated at USD 50 billion while the export, at USD 60 billion. The urgency in providing protection to the merchant vessels could be easily understood when we look at the number of piracy episodes from March 2012 to May of this year; as many as 43 Indian seafarers had been kidnapped by the Somalia pirates. As of now, cargo ships of various nations have begun to employ foreign nationals for security and many vessels with Indian flags also employ foreign nationals through agencies. Appreciating the decision of the government, Mr. Pradip Kundu, Captain of MV Karine bulker merchant ship said that the decision was both timely and prudent. It is said that 6,900 CISF personnel will be deployed to guard the 14 major ports of the nation which include Mumbai, Visakhapatnam, Chennai, Kolkata, Kandla, Haldia, Goa, Paradip, Mangalore, Tuticorin, Kochi, Ennore. The trained elite troops will be on board the merchant vessels when they pass through Somalia coast.
Thursday, 25 October 2012
Elite Indian commandos to protect Indian merchant vessels from pirates
To bring some relief to the Indian shipping merchants from the haunting fear of piracy threat particularly in the vital Gulf of Aden, it has been decided by the government to form a unit of elite Indian commandos who will accompany the marine commandos of the Indian Navy (MARCOS). Mr. Harendra Singh, Deputy Commandant and Public Relations Officer, Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), said: “The CISF has decided to train 100 personnel to accompany and protect the Indian merchant vessels in the piracy infested waters, especially in the area off the coast of Somalia”. The Gulf of Aden shipping lane is so vital to the trade of India that all efforts should be taken to render the lane one of safe passage to all the merchant vessels. Mr.G.K.Vasan, the Union Shipping Minister, informed the Parliament that the annual Indian import through the Gulf of Aden is estimated at USD 50 billion while the export, at USD 60 billion. The urgency in providing protection to the merchant vessels could be easily understood when we look at the number of piracy episodes from March 2012 to May of this year; as many as 43 Indian seafarers had been kidnapped by the Somalia pirates. As of now, cargo ships of various nations have begun to employ foreign nationals for security and many vessels with Indian flags also employ foreign nationals through agencies. Appreciating the decision of the government, Mr. Pradip Kundu, Captain of MV Karine bulker merchant ship said that the decision was both timely and prudent. It is said that 6,900 CISF personnel will be deployed to guard the 14 major ports of the nation which include Mumbai, Visakhapatnam, Chennai, Kolkata, Kandla, Haldia, Goa, Paradip, Mangalore, Tuticorin, Kochi, Ennore. The trained elite troops will be on board the merchant vessels when they pass through Somalia coast.
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