New Delhi: Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar met the Indian Air Force pilots of C-17 transport aircraft on Saturday who were involved in an anti-piracy mission in the Indian Ocean under Operation Sankalp.

The Navy chief met captain of the flight, Wing Commander Akshay Saxena, along with co-pilots Wing Commander Lokesh Manchanda and Squadron Leader Lovepreet Singh and lauded their efforts.

Pilots flew for around 10 hours continuously after taking off from Mumbai to airdrop Indian Navy's Marine Commandos 2,600 km away from Indian shores to carry out the operation and captured as many as 35 Somali pirates off the coast of Somalia.

Earlier, on Saturday, all Somali pirates were handed over to Mumbai Police after due formalities of Customs and Immigration.

Meanwhile, affirming Indian Navy's actions to secure the region from the threat posed by piracy and drone attacks, Admiral R Hari Kumar said that the Indian Navy is very clear about its job and will take affirmative action to ensure there is safety and security in the Indian Ocean, adding that the region is named after India.

"Earlier there were 54-55 anti-piracy ships every day and now it has gone up to 64-65. These are from the Anti Piracy Escort Force from China and EUNAVFOR from Europe. As they are present there according to their national directions, the Indian Navy is very clear about its job," he said at a press conference on Saturday.

"This is the Indian Ocean, named after us, and if we don't take action, then who will? Bhartiya Nau Sena will take affirmative action to ensure there is safety and security in the Indian Ocean," he added.

The statement comes on the completion of 100 days of the Indian Navy's operations for anti-drone, anti-missile, and anti-piracy attacks in the Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, and Red Sea.

The Naval Chief also spoke on merchant vessels being used as 'mother vessels' like MV Ruen, rescued in a high-stakes operation in the Arabian Sea, and said that the Indian Navy is now keeping a close watch on the southern group which could have 35-60 pirates and hijacked MV Abdullah vessel suspected to be used as a mother ship.

"We have always suspected that there are mother vessels and we were thinking that they must be dhows. But we were surprised that MV Ruen was being used as a mother vessel after it was hijacked three months ago in Somali waters. We suspect that there may be a southern group which may have 35-60 pirates. We are keeping a close watch on MV Abdullah which has been hijacked and may be used as a mother ship," he said.

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