Indian Navy frees all 20 crew of hijacked vessel Azini off Somalia

The Indian Navy completed a 48-hour operation on 2 November 2026 that freed all 20 crew members of the fishing vessel Azini from armed pirates in the Arabian Sea, more than 3,000 km from Mumbai. No casualties or injuries were reported. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated the force and noted the role of Indian Air Force support.

The vessel had been hijacked earlier last month off the north-eastern coast of Somalia, between Bandar Bayla and Hafun. Twelve armed pirates boarded it. At the time it carried Iranian crew and Somali security guards. Maritime authorities, including the EU-led Maritime Security Centre-Indian Ocean, warned that pirates could use it as a mother ship to launch further attacks on merchant vessels in busy shipping lanes.

The Navy tasked a mission-deployed warship, identified in some reports as INS Kolkata, supported by a maritime reconnaissance aircraft. After persistent surveillance the platforms located the vessel, tracked its movements and used calibrated non-kinetic measures to contain it and prevent escape. Marine Commandos were then inducted by a precision airdrop from an Indian Air Force C-17 aircraft. The commandos secured the vessel and neutralised the pirate threat.

The operation demonstrated inter-service coordination between the Navy and Air Force. Singh said the swift localisation, interception and safe release spoke of the Navy's operational readiness to respond to threats across the Indian Ocean Region. The ministry described India as a first responder and preferred security partner in the region, committed to safe seas and the protection of seafarers and trade routes.

Somali piracy has seen a resurgence in the Gulf of Aden and western Indian Ocean in recent months, with several hijackings raising concerns for commercial shipping. The Azini operation occurred farther from the Indian coast than the Navy's March 2024 interception of the pirate vessel MV Ruen, which was about 2,600 km offshore and also involved INS Kolkata. Officials recovered weapons from the vessel after the boarding.

The successful rescue underscores the Navy's ability to project force at long range in the Indian Ocean. With the crew and vessel secured, attention turns to whether the pirates will face legal proceedings and how the episode affects ongoing efforts to deter further attacks on fishing and merchant traffic in the area. The Navy has not released further details on the fate of the pirates or the exact composition of the recovered arms cache.