India sends warship towards hijacked vessel in Arabian Sea

• An Indian warship is diverted, deployed to assist the vessel.
• Indian navy has increased its surveillance of the Arabian Sea.
• India plays security provider's role in region: Indian defence minister.

NEW DELHI: An Indian Navy warship has been dispatched towards a hijacked vessel with at least 15 Indian crew members on board in the Arabian Sea, while an aircraft is closely monitoring the situation, the Indian navy said on Friday.

The Liberian-flagged MV Lila Norfolk was pirated near Somalia's coast and the information about it was received Thursday evening, Indian news agency ANI reported, citing military officials.

The Indian navy said the affected ship informed the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations portal that five to six unidentified armed men had boarded the vessel on January 4 evening.

An Indian warship, the INS Chennai, was diverted and deployed to assist the vessel, the statement said, adding that a naval aircraft overflew the hijacked vessel on Friday and had established contact with it.

The Indian navy has increased its surveillance of the Arabian Sea after a recent spate of attacks in the region.

Earlier this week, the navy said it had investigated a large number of fishing vessels and boarded vessels of interest in the North and Central Arabian Sea.

"India plays the role of a net security provider in the entire Indian Ocean region. We will ensure that maritime trade in this region rises from the sea to the heights of the sky," Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said last month of the increased surveillance in the region.