To date the Indian Navy has escorted 1037 ships including 134 Indian flagged ships and 903 foreign-flagged ships. The Inidan Navy’s contribution to keeping the ‘global commons’ safe for merchant ships of as many as 50 countries who have availed the escort is significant. This, of course, is in addition to the EEZ and anti-piracy patrols the IN undertakes in other island countries of the region.
The efficiency and effectiveness of the Indian Navy operations in the region is enhanced through coordination with other navies operating in the area including NATO forces, the EUNAVFOR (EU Naval Forces) as well as through interaction with some other navies that operate independently like the Indian Navy. Information exchanged through the SHADE (Shared Awareness and Deconfliction) mechanism also goes a long way in enhancing the efficacy of the patrols.
The Indian Navy has conducted anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden since October 2008 by continuously maintaining at least one ship to escort merchant vessel convoys across the Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC) in the Gulf of Aden. Recently INS Mysore took over as the 20th ship to undertake the anti-piracy mission in the Gulf of Aden. The Indian Navy intends to continue maintaining a ship in the region to provide escort to merchant vessels transiting through the Gulf of Aden.
