‘Courageous mission’: PM Modi on Navy thwarting hijack bid in Arabian Sea

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday hailed the swift actions of the Indian Navy in thwarting a hijacking attempt on a merchant vessel in North Arabian Sea.

Addressing the DGP conference in Jaipur, the prime minister also highlighted Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)’s recent achievement in placing India’s first solar observatory – Aditya L1 – in its definitive orbit, enabling uninterrupted observation of the Sun’s atmosphere.

‘Navy executed a courageous mission’

“In the last couple of days, the Indian Navy executed a courageous mission. On receiving intel about a merchant vessel facing a hijack threat in the Arabian Sea, they covered a distance of 2000 km to rescue the ship. The Indian Navy, alongside Marine Commandos, successfully safeguarded 21 crew members including 21 Indians,” PM Modi said during the event.

“Many of you must have seen the footage where, following their rescue by the Indian Navy from the attempted hijack, the crew members were chanting ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’,” Modi added.

Indian Navy’s rescue of merchant vessel

The marine commandos of the Indian Navy successfully saved 21 crew members, including 15 Indians, from the seized MV Lila Norfolk, a Liberian-flagged vessel, on Friday in a swift operation within the North Arabian Sea where Armed pirates had attempted to hijack the ship, prompting the rescue.

In a statement shared on X, the Indian Navy said, “Indian Navy’s Swift Response to the Hijacking Attempt of MV Lila Norfolk in the North Arabian Sea. All 21 crew members (including 15 Indians) onboard were safely evacuated from the citadel. Sanitization by MARCOs has confirmed the absence of the hijackers.”

The pirates seemingly abandoned their hijack endeavour due to the strong intervention of the Indian Navy and the warning of interception by an Indian Naval warship, as stated in the release.

Expressing gratitude, the Indians among the rescued crew of the MV Lila Norfolk thanked the Indian Navy for their rescue.

In a Navy-released video, the crew members were heard chanting “Bharat Mata ki Jai” and expressing their appreciation to the Indian Navy. One of the rescued Indians shared, “We were stuck for 24 hours. We got relief after the Indian Navy came to rescue them.”

PM lauds Aditya L1’s success

Prime Minister Modi also lauded ISRO for achieving another significant milestone in space exploration. On Saturday, India’s first solar observatory, Aditya L1, successfully positioned itself in its final orbit near the Lagrange L1 point. Over the next five years, it will analyse the Sun and its surrounding environment from this Lagrange point.

“Similar to the historic success of Chandrayaan-3, India’s capability, particularly its scientific prowess, has once again been demonstrated through the accomplishment of Aditya L1,” remarked Modi.

Aditya L1, the country’s inaugural solar mission, reached its destination, the L1 point, situated approximately 1.5 million kilometres from Earth. Its primary objective is to orbit the Sun and conduct extensive studies, benefiting from an uninterrupted view without the interference of eclipses or occultations.

Officials from ISRO highlighted that the Lagrange point 1 (L1) within the Sun-Earth system is about one per cent of the total distance between the Earth and the Sun. They noted that a satellite positioned in a halo orbit around the L1 point offers the distinct advantage of continuously observing the Sun without disruptions like occultations or eclipses. This continuous observation will significantly enhance our understanding of solar activities and their impact on space weather in real-time.