Will Find Perpetrators of Attacks on Merchant Navy Ships: Rajnath

Mumbai: Asserting that India is the net-security provider in the Indian Ocean region, defence minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said India will dive down to the "bottom of the oceans" if necessary to bring to justice the perpetrators of recent drone attacks on merchant ships.

"Nowadays the turbulence in the sea has increased. India's growing economic and strategic power has filled some forces with jealousy and hatred," the minister said during the commissioning of guided missile destroyer INS Imphal into the Indian Navy in a ceremony in Mumbai.

He said the government had taken the recent drone attacks on Merchant Vessel (MV) Chem Pluto in the Arabian Sea and the attack on MV Sai Baba in the Red Sea a few days ago "very seriously."

"Indian Navy has increased surveillance of the sea. Whoever has carried out this attack, we will find them even from the bottom of the ocean and strict action will be taken against them. I want to assure you," he said.

"India plays the role of a net security provider in the entire Indian Ocean Region. We will ensure that maritime trade in this region touches greater heights. For this, together with our friendly countries, we will keep the sea lanes secure. We have full confidence in the ability and strength of our navy," said Singh.

He said with the Himalayas in the north and the hostilities with Pakistan in the west, most of Indian trade passes through the sea, which makes it an island country from the perspective of trade.

He stressed on the need to continuously develop the



Navy’s capabilities as global trade is of great importance to India to secure its national interests.

INS Imphal is commissioned at a time when the Indian Navy has deployed the guided missile destroyers, INS Mormugao, INS Kochi and INS Kolkata in the Arabian Sea to maintain deterrent presence to prevent attacks on India bound merchant vessels.

Long-range maritime reconnaissance P8I aircraft, Dornier multi-purpose aircraft, Sea Guardian helicopters and Coast Guard ships have been deployed jointly to counter these threats.

Singh described INS Imphal as a shining example of ‘Aatmanirbharta’ (self-reliance) in defence and a reflection of the commitment of the Indian Navy, Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited and all other stakeholders towards national security. "INS Imphal is a symbol of India's growing maritime power and it will strengthen it further. It will bolster our principle of ‘Jalmev Yasya, Balmev Tasya’ (One Who Controls the Sea is All Powerful) in the Indo-Pacific region," he said.

It is the third indigenous guided missile destroyer under the project P15B.

As part of the pre-commissioning trials, the ship recently carried out successful firing of an extended range BrahMos missile.

INS Imphal is the first naval warship to be commissioned with accommodation for women officers and sailors and the first amongst all P15B ships which is to be fitted with upgraded BrahMos missiles having dual role capability of long range and land attack.