Indian Navy frees 20 Iranian crew from Somali pirates on vessel Azini

The Indian Navy completed the rescue of all 20 crew members from the hijacked fishing vessel Azini off the northeastern coast of Somalia on 2 November 2026. The operation lasted more than 48 hours and took place more than 3,000 kilometres from Mumbai in the Arabian Sea. No casualties or injuries were reported among the Iranian crew or the Indian forces involved.

The vessel had been seized earlier in the previous month by an armed pirate group and was suspected of being used as a mother ship for further attacks on merchant traffic. The Navy deployed a warship supported by a maritime reconnaissance aircraft to locate and track it. After sustained surveillance, non-kinetic measures contained the boat and prevented escape. Marine commandos were then inserted by precision airdrop from an Indian Air Force C-17 aircraft.

The commandos carried out a tactical intervention, secured the vessel, and neutralised the pirate threat. All 20 crew members were freed safely. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated the Navy on the outcome and noted the coordination with the Air Force. He described the localisation, interception, and release as a demonstration of India’s capacity to respond to maritime threats across the Indian Ocean region.

The Navy stated that the successful operation reinforces India’s role as a first responder and preferred security partner for seafarers and international trade routes in the area. Somali piracy has seen a resurgence in the Gulf of Aden and western Indian Ocean in recent months after a period of lower activity. The use of a fishing vessel as a potential mother ship fits patterns observed in earlier incidents.

The Azini is an Iranian-flagged fishing boat. Its crew of 20 were Iranian nationals. The operation ended with the vessel under Indian Navy control and the crew free. No further details on the fate of the pirates have been released beyond the statement that the threat was neutralised. The warship and supporting aircraft returned to their patrol duties after the rescue.

This intervention follows other recent Indian naval actions against piracy in the same waters. The distance from Indian bases required sustained logistics and real-time coordination between surface, air, and special forces elements. The C-17 airdrop of commandos provided the final insertion capability once the vessel was fixed in position.

Merchant shipping operators in the region monitor such rescues closely because mother ships extend the reach of pirate groups beyond coastal waters. The neutralisation of this particular threat removes one platform that could have launched additional skiffs against commercial traffic. Insurance rates and routing advisories for the western Indian Ocean remain elevated due to the broader piracy trend.

Singh’s statement emphasised operational preparedness and inter-service coordination. The Navy has maintained a presence in the area under its mission-based deployments. The rescue of an Iranian crew by Indian forces also carries diplomatic weight given ongoing regional tensions, though both governments have limited public comment to the factual outcome.

The 48-hour timeline covers the period from initial detection through final clearance of the vessel. Surveillance aircraft maintained contact while the warship closed the distance. Non-kinetic containment measures kept the pirates from manoeuvring the boat away before the commandos arrived. Once on board, the commandos completed the securing action rapidly.

No Indian personnel were injured. The Iranian crew are reported safe and are expected to be repatriated through normal channels once formalities are complete. The vessel itself remains under assessment for any damage sustained during the hijacking or the intervention. Full details of the pirates’ numbers and equipment have not been made public.

The operation adds a documented case of Indian special forces conducting a successful maritime counter-piracy boarding at extended range. It also illustrates the continuing utility of combined Navy-Air Force packages for such missions. Shipping companies and regional navies will incorporate the incident into ongoing assessments of piracy risk in the Arabian Sea approaches to the Gulf of Aden.