On the event marking the commissioning of INS Imphal, defence minister Rajnath Singh vowed
to ferret out the perpetrators of the attacks on merchant navy ships MV Chem Pluto and MV Sai
Baba even from the "depths of the seas" and take tough action against them. Singh emphasized
India's commitment to maritime security and its role as a net security provider in the Indian
Ocean Region.

Speaking on punishing the attackers of the drone attack, defence minister Rajnath Singh said,
"The Indian Navy has increased surveillance on the sea. Whoever has carried out this attack, we
will find them even if it is from the seabed. Those behind these attacks would be brought to
justice,". Further adding that the government is resolute in taking tough action against those
responsible for the drone attacks on merchant navy ships.
Singh highlighted the increasing turbulence in the seas, attributing it to the nation's growing
economic and strategic power, which has sparked jealousy and animosity from certain quarters.
Drone attack on Ship off Indian coast
MV Chem Pluto, with 21 Indian crew members, fell victim to a drone strike about 217 nautical
miles from Porbandar. The Indian Navy and Coast Guard promptly mobilized assets to assist the
vessel. Another ship, MV Sai Baba, a Gabon-flagged crude oil tanker, faced a similar drone

attack in the southern Red Sea. Iran-backed Houthi rebels, fighting a civil war in Yemen, are
suspected to have targeted the India-bound ships.
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TV18
In response to the attacks, the Indian Navy initiated focused maritime security operations in the
Arabian Sea. Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar informed that three state-of-the-art
warships had been deployed to safeguard India-bound merchant vessels, supported by destroyers,
P-8I aircraft, Dorniers, Sea Guardians, helicopters and Coast Guard ships, affirming the Navy's
commitment to countering threats of piracy and drone attacks in the region.
(With inputs from agencies)