Indian Navy Rescues 20 Crew from Hijacked Vessel Azini off Somalia

The Indian Navy completed a 48-hour operation on 2 November 2026 that freed the Iranian fishing vessel Azini and its 20 crew members from armed pirates off the northeastern coast of Somalia. All crew were rescued without casualties or injuries, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement issued the following day.

The vessel had been seized earlier in late October by an armed pirate group. Officials assessed that the hijackers intended to use Azini as a mother ship to launch further attacks on merchant shipping in the region. The incident occurred between Bandarbayla and Hafun District in Puntland, according to maritime security reports.

The Navy tasked a mission-deployed warship, supported by a maritime reconnaissance aircraft, to locate and track the vessel. After persistent surveillance the platforms employed calibrated non-kinetic measures to contain the dhow and prevent its escape toward merchant traffic lanes. Marine Commandos were then inducted by a precision airdrop from an Indian Air Force C-17 transport aircraft.

The commandos executed a swift tactical boarding, secured the vessel and neutralised the pirate threat. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated the force, noting the operation took place more than 3,000 km from Mumbai in the Arabian Sea. He highlighted the coordination with the Air Force and the Navy’s ability to respond decisively to maritime threats.

The Navy statement described the rescue as evidence of high operational preparedness and seamless inter-service coordination. It reaffirmed India’s role as a first responder and preferred security partner in the Indian Ocean Region for the protection of seafarers and international trade routes.

Puntland Maritime Police Force sources indicated that Indian personnel disarmed approximately 12 suspected pirates, confiscated their mobile phones and released them. The Ministry of Defence did not detail the disposition of the pirates beyond confirming the safe release of the crew. The crew consisted primarily of Iranian nationals.

The successful interdiction followed a period of renewed Somali piracy activity in the Gulf of Aden and western Indian Ocean. By containing the potential mother ship before it could reposition for further raids, the operation removed an immediate threat to commercial shipping. Continuous surveillance by the warship and aircraft proved decisive in locating the vessel after it moved from the initial hijack site.

The precision airdrop of additional commandos allowed the boarding team to achieve numerical and tactical superiority without prolonged negotiation or kinetic escalation that might have endangered the hostages. No injuries were reported among the crew or the naval personnel involved.

The episode demonstrates the continuing utility of forward-deployed Indian naval assets in the Arabian Sea for counter-piracy tasks. It also illustrates the practical value of joint Navy-Air Force procedures for rapid reinforcement at sea. Damage assessments of the vessel and the full accounting of pirate weapons and equipment continued after the crew was secured.

As of 3 November the 20 crew members were safe. The operation closed a specific piracy incident that had raised concerns across shipping lanes, while the broader pattern of opportunistic attacks off Somalia remained a standing concern for regional maritime forces.