Operation Sankalp

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Operation Sankalp is the Indian Navy's initiative aimed at ensuring the security of the regional maritime domain. The term Sankalp originates from Sanskrit and signifies the concept of "Commitment". It aligns with the Indian Navy's objective of safeguarding India's shipping interests and trade routes. [1]

Contents

Launched on 19 June 2019, Op Sankalp primarily focused on guaranteeing the safe transit of Indian-flagged vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz amidst escalating security concerns in the area. The protection of India's commercial fleet and maritime commerce is emphasised as a significant goal within the Indian Navy's responsibilities. Due to the intricate nature of the mission and the global context in which Indian Naval vessels operate, Op Sankalp is being executed in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) through active engagement and meticulous coordination with the Indian Ministries of Defence, External Affairs, Shipping, Petroleum and Natural Gas, and the Directorate General of Shipping. [2] [3] [4]

Background

The utilization of a blue-water navy relies on its intrinsic characteristics such as reach, flexibility, and visibility. The actions carried out by a country's naval forces to advance its national interest reflect both the nation's interests and political objectives. [1] Since 2008, piracy has become a growing concern in the Indian Ocean Region, prompting the deployment of warships from various navies - both regional as well as non-regional naval forces. The Indian Navy has stepped up as the leading force in tackling security issues, positioning itself as the ‘First Responder’ and ‘Preferred Security Partner’ in the IOR. Through impressive displays of naval strength, aircraft, and Special Forces, the Indian Navy remains steadfast in its mission to protect the seas and ensure the safety of the maritime community in the face of unconventional threats. [5]

The Persian Gulf plays a significant role in India's maritime trade with West Asia. In the fiscal year 2019-2020, India imported about 66 billion USD worth of oil from this region, making up 62 percent of its total oil imports. The trade between India and West Asia during that time stood at 108.2 billion USD in imports and roughly 51 billion USD in exports. These numbers constitute 8.1% and 11.4% of India's total exports and imports, underscoring the importance of Operation Sankalp led by the Indian Navy. [1]

Deployment

From June 2019 to May 2021, fleet of 20 Indian warships were deployed under Op Sankalp to safeguard the journey of over 200 Indian Flag Vessels transporting more than 21 million tonnes of cargo in the IOR. [1]

From December 2023 to March 2024, around 5000 troops have been deployed at sea with over 450 ship days have been completed (using over 21 ships), and maritime surveillance aircraft have flown 900 hours under Op Sankalp. [5]

2021

In November 2021, INS Trikand was dispatched to the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman under Operation Sankalp, an initiative by the Indian Navy to uphold a prominent vessel in the area, guaranteeing the unhindered and protected transportation of goods, fostering trust within the maritime community, and actively contributing to the overall security of the regional waters. The ship stopped at Manama and the during its stay at the port, the personnel engaged with Bahrain's counterparts to enhance maritime security. The INS Trikand, a cutting-edge frigate equipped with guided missiles and stealth technology, serves as a vital component of the Western Fleet. It operates under the command of the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command, which is headquartered in Mumbai. [6]

During COVID-19 Pandemic

In regular circumstances, this deployment would have been considered as a standard procedure. Nevertheless, during the COVID-19 pandemic situation, the Indian Navy's capability to deploy its warships demonstrated their exceptional operational readiness and availability. This also highlighted the stringent protocols and mechanisms implemented by the Indian Navy to minimize the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on their personnel, thereby ensuring uninterrupted deployments and operations. Consequently, in addition to their continuous anti-piracy patrols and Op-Sankalp, the Indian Navy effectively executed numerous deployments and operations. [1]

2023

On 14 December 2023, Operation Sankalp was re-initiated to ensure the security of the regional maritime domain due to the Red Sea crisis and sudden increase in marine pirate activities. [7] The Indian Navy on 31 December 2023 said it had deployed P-8I Neptune and the SeaGuardian drones, [8] following the distressed faced by two merchant vessels, MV Ruen and MV Chem Pluto which were targeted in the sea. MV Ruen was hijacked (later rescued by INS Kolkata) while MV Chem Pluto sustained drone hits eventually and making way to port. The Indian Navy deployed a large flotilla of destroyers to safeguard international security. The deployment into the Arabian Sea included missile destroyers, including INS Kolkata, INS Kochi, INS Mormugao, INS Chennai and INS Visakhapatnam, [9] almost its entire modern destroyer fleet of its Western Fleet. INS Kolkata was deployed at the mouth of the Red Sea, INS Kochi on the south of Yemen's Socotra Island, INS Mormugao in the west Arabian Sea with INS Chennai in the central Arabian Sea. INS Visakhapatnam was also moved in a week later and was tasked to patrol the north Arabian Sea. [9]

2024

DateShip attackedRescued byCause
Details
15-19 December 2023MV Ruen INS Kochi

Spanish ship Victoria

JS Akenebono

Piracy
MV Reun was attacked and hijacked by Somali pirates in their first attempt since 2017. Indian Navy quickly responded to the situation. Following Indian Navy P-8I Neptune MPA locating those ships, Kochi as well as the Spanish ship Victoria and the JS Akenebono immediately sailed behind them and are proceeding to Mogadishu harbour in Somalia, the estimated location of the pirates are taking the Reun. INS Kochi, on its part, was shadowing MV Ruen in a “wait-and-watch” mode since a direct intervention could have led to casualties among the crew being held hostage by the pirates. [10] [11]

On December 19, the hijackers freed a Bulgarian hostage so that he could receive medical assistance after being injured by gunshot. The sailor was treated on board and is now being taken to a shore-based medical facility in Oman for further evaluation. The destroyer kept trailing MV Reun and further action shall be decided by the owners of the shipping company. [12] [13]

18 January 2024MV Genco Picardy INS Visakhapatnam Drone attack
Visakhapatnam responded to a distress call from the Marshall Island-flagged MV Genco Picardy following a drone attack by unknown attackers at 11:11 pm IST on the night of 17 January. The Indian naval ship acknowledged the distress call and intercepted the vessel at 12:30 am IST the next day and provided support. Genco Picardy had 22 crew, including 9 Indian sailors. Following an EOD inspection by the ship's specialists, the ship was cleared to continue its journey without any casualties incurred aboard. [14] [15]
26 January 2024 MV Marlin Luanda INS Visakhapatnam USS Carney

French frigate Alsace

Missile strike
Following a distress call from the British owned, Marshall Islands flagged oil tanker MV Marlin Luanda on the night of 26 January 2024, Visakhapatnam responded to aid the ship in its fire fighting efforts by deploying its NBCD team (Nuclear-Biological-Chemical Defence and Damage control) along with firefighting equipment on board. The ship was reportedly attacked by the Houthis at approximately 7:45 pm and it had 22 Indians and one Bangladeshi crew member aboard. USS Carney (DDG 64) (also targeted by a Houthi missile, but shot down), the French frigate Alsace and other Operation Prosperity Guardian coalition ships also responded and rendered assistance. No injuries were reported as the fire had broke out In the cargo compartment. The vessel sailed to a safe harbour under its own power. [16] [17]
4 March 2024MSC Sky II INS Kolkata Drone attack
INS Kolkata, deployed to the Gulf of Aden, responded to a request from MSC Sky II , a Liberian flagged container vessel. The ship had reportedly been attacked by a drone or missile 90 nm southeast of Aden. The ship's master reported smoke and flames onboard following the attack. INS Kolkata was quickly redirected to provide the required support and reached the incident site. The Kolkata then escorted the ship from the area of the incident into the territorial seas of Djibouti. On 5 March, a specialised firefighting team from Kolkata boarded the Sky II and extinguished the remaining fires and an explosive ordnance disposal team boarded the Sky II to evaluate residual risk. The crew were safe and the ship then continued sailing towards its next destination. [18] [19] [20]
4 January 2024MV Lila Norfolk INS Chennai

MARCOS

Piracy
MV Lila Norfolk sailing from Port Du Aco in Brazil to Khalifa Bin Salman in Bahrain was hijacked by pirates 460 nautical miles east off Somalia. It had sent a message indicating boarding by around five to six unknown armed personnel. Of the 21 crew members, 15 were Indian and the other 6 hailed from the Philippines. [21] INS Chennai was deployed to render assistance while a maritime patrol aircraft overflew the vessel the next morning and established contact with the vessel. [22] [23] [24] On 5 January 2024, after providing warnings, the MARCOS commandos from the INS Chennai boarded the ship to rescue all crew members. The pirates had abandoned ship prior to the boarding. [25]
6 March 2024MV True Confidence INS Kolkata Drone/missile attack
On 6 March 2024, INS Kolkata responded to another crisis in the Gulf of Aden. About 55 nautical miles southwest of Aden, a drone or missile struck the Barbados-flagged bulk carrier MV True Confidence . When INS Kolkata arrived on the site, it used its onboard aircraft and boats and rescued 21 crew members, including an Indian national, via life rafts. The injured crew members received vital medical attention from the ship's medical experts. [26] [27]
16 March 2024MV Ruen INS Kolkata

MARCOS

Piracy
Indian Navy's Marine Commandos - MARCOS were deployed via IAF's C-17 aircraft in a rescue operation involving the Maltese-flagged bulk carrier vessel MV Ruen, which had been seized by Somalian pirates. The cargo vessel was taken near the Yemeni island of Socotra in December 2023 and was located approximately 2600 km away from the Indian Coast. This successful counter-piracy operation received assistance from the Indian warship INS Subhadra, INS Kolkata, MQ-9B SeaGaurdian drones, and a P8I maritime patrol aircraft. The “high tempo” mission aboard merchant vessel lasting for about 40 hours concluded by safely evacuating 17 crew members and compelling 35 pirates to surrender. [28] [29]
26 April 2024MV Andromeda Star INS Kochi Missile attack
INS Kochi rescued 30 persons from a Panama-flagged and Seychelles-operated oil tanker, MV Andromeda Star, which was attacked by Houthi missiles earlier (Red Sea Crisis). An official reconnaissance was conducted by a helicopter after which the explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) reached the vessel to "residual risk assessment". Out of 30 crew members, 22 were Indian nationals. Later the ship continued towards her next destination. According to the US Central Command, three anti ship ballistic missiles were launched by Houthis to attack MV Maisha and MV Andromeda Star. [30] [31]

Achievement

Due to the impact made in addressing maritime challenges, preventing the resurgence of piracy, and significantly decreasing drug trafficking in the Indian Ocean Region, as well as in protecting India's maritime concerns, the Indian Navy's strategic response, creativity, and unwavering determination during the continuous maritime security operations under 'Op Sankalp' have garnered international recognition. [5]

By the end of 2023, a total of 41 warships have been deployed by the Indian Navy to provide escort services for around 624 Lakh Tons of cargo carried by 503 Indian Flagged Merchant Vessels. [32]

As of March 2024, the Indian Navy has demonstrated its dedication to guaranteeing the maritime safety and security by escorting about 15 lakh tons of vital commodities under transit in the region and has given over 450 merchant vessels confidence from being present in the IOR. It has a remarkable record of saving over 110 lives which includes 45 Indian seafarers. Furthermore, the Navy has carried out close to 1000 boarding operations on distressed ships. Indian Navy also apprehended contraband & around 3000 kg of narcotic drugs [5]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Sayan Chatterjee (8 May 2021). "Indian Navy's Operation Sankalp; safeguarding India's Maritime Trade routes". The Statesman. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
  2. ↑ "Indian Navy Executes OP Sankalp". pib.gov.in. Delhi: Ministry of Defence (India), Government of India. Press Information Bureau. 20 June 2019. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
  3. ↑ "Op SANKALP : 3RD YEAR OF INDIAN NAVY'S MARITIME SECURITY OPERATIONS". Janam Online. 20 June 2022. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
  4. ↑ "INS Talwar Deployed in the Gulf as Part of the Navy's Op Sankalp". FORCE Magazine. 21 June 2022. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "INDIAN NAVY'S ONGOING MARITIME SECURITY OPERATIONS ('OP SANKALP') 14 DEC 23 TO 23 MAR 24". pib.gov.in. Delhi: Ministry of Defence (India), Government of India. Press Information Bureau. 23 Mar 2024. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  6. ↑ "OP SANKALP - MISSION-BASED DEPLOYMENT TO PERSIAN GULF BY INS TRIKAND". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  7. ↑ "Indian Navy's Ongoing Maritime Security Operations ('OP SANKALP') 14 Dec 23 to 23 Mar 24". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 2024-05-17.
  8. ↑ Peri, Dinakar (2023-12-31). "Attacks on ships: Indian Navy enhances surveillance in Arabian Sea". The Hindu. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 2024-01-05.
  9. 1 2 "Indian Navy deploys warships and surveillance aircraft to enhance maritime security - The New Indian Express". www.newindianexpress.com. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
  10. ↑ "Hijacked tanker proceeds to Mogadishu, INS Kochi monitors the Malta vessel". Hindustan Times. 2023-12-17. Retrieved 2023-12-17.
  11. ↑ "Navy intercepts ship hijacked by pirates in the Arabian Sea after SOS message - The New Indian Express". www.newindianexpress.com. Retrieved 2023-12-17.
  12. ↑ "Injured sailor from hijacked ship moved to Indian stealth warship for treatment". Hindustan Times. 2023-12-19. Retrieved 2023-12-19.
  13. ↑ "Indian Navy evacuates injured sailor from hijacked ship". The Times of India. 2023-12-19. ISSN   0971-8257 . Retrieved 2023-12-19.
  14. ↑ "INS Visakhapatnam Rescues Marshall Island Ship With 9 Indians After Drone Attack In Gulf Of Aden". zeenews.india.com. Retrieved 2024-01-19.
  15. ↑ "Naval warship INS Visakhapatnam helps ship under drone attack in Gulf of Aden". India Today. Retrieved 2024-01-19.
  16. ↑ "Houthi attack: Indian Navy deploys fire-fighting team on board British oil tanker with 22 Indian crew members". Moneycontrol. 2024-01-27. Retrieved 2024-01-27.
  17. ↑ "Indian Navy responds to SOS call from merchant ship in Gulf of Aden after being hit by Houthi anti-ship missile". The Times of India. 2024-01-27. ISSN   0971-8257 . Retrieved 2024-01-27.
  18. ↑ "INDIAN NAVY PROVIDED ASSISTANCE TO LIBERIAN-FLAGGED CONTAINER VESSEL, MSC SKY II". pib.gov.in. Archived from the original on 7 March 2024. Retrieved 2024-03-06.
  19. ↑ "VIDEO: Indian Navy's Heroic Rescue Of Ship After Houthi Rebels Attacked It In Red Sea". English Jagran. Archived from the original on 5 March 2024. Retrieved 2024-03-06.
  20. ↑ "Navy rescues ship under drone attack in Gulf of Aden, 13 Indians were onboard". India Today. Archived from the original on 5 March 2024. Retrieved 2024-03-06.
  21. ↑ "Indian Navy thwarts hijack attempt, rescues 21 crew members, including 15 Indians". The Times of India. 2024-01-05. ISSN   0971-8257 . Retrieved 2024-01-05.
  22. ↑ "INS Chennai moving towards hijacked vessel off Somalia coast; 15 Indians aboard". Hindustan Times. 2024-01-05. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
  23. ↑ "Navy sends INS Chennai to assist vessel hijacked in Arabian Sea, 15 Indians aboard". The Indian Express. 2024-01-05. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
  24. ↑ Peri, Dinakar (2024-01-05). "Indian Navy responds to hijack attempt of a Liberian-flagged vessel in Arabian Sea, deploys INS Chennai". The Hindu. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 2024-01-05.
  25. ↑ https://www.rediff.com/news/report/indian-navy-commandos-board-hijacked-ship-clear-it-of-hijackers/20240105.htm
  26. ↑ "Indian Navy comes to the rescue of missile-hit ship in Gulf of Aden". The Times of India. 2024-03-07. ISSN   0971-8257. Archived from the original on 7 March 2024. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
  27. ↑ "Watch: Indian Navy Warship Rescues 21 From Ship Hit By Houthi Missile". NDTV.com. Archived from the original on 7 March 2024. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
  28. ↑ "Indian Navy and Air Force Conduct Complex Anti-Piracy Operation". Naval News. 17 March 2024. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
  29. ↑ "IAF Shares Visuals of C-17 Precision Airdrop from Joint Op with Navy, Leading to Surrender of 35 Somali Pirates". News18. 17 March 2024. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
  30. ↑ "Indian warship INS Kochi renders help to vessel attacked in Red Sea". Hindustan Times. 2024-04-28. Retrieved 2024-04-29.
  31. ↑ PTI (2024-04-28). "Indian Navy comes to tanker's aid after Houthi missile attack". The Hindu. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 2024-04-29.
  32. ↑ "MINISTRY OF DEFENCE - YEAR END REVIEW 2023". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
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