Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 05:20am on 03 Nov 2026,Tuesday Defence
The Indian Navy rescued all 20 crew members of the hijacked fishing vessel Azini after a 48-hour operation in the Arabian Sea, more than 3,000 kilometres from Mumbai. Completed on November 2, the mission involved a Navy warship, a reconnaissance aircraft and Marine Commandos, with Indian Air Force support. The vessel had reportedly been hijacked by armed pirates off northeastern Somalia. The Navy feared it could be used as a mother ship for attacks on merchant vessels. Surveillance and non-kinetic measures restricted its movement before commandos were deployed by an IAF C-17 precision airdrop. All crew were released, with no casualties or injuries reported. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh praised the operation.
