Indian Navy frees 20 crew from hijacked Azini off Somalia

On November 2, the Iranian fishing vessel Azini was freed off Somalia's northeastern coast. The 48-hour operation was India's.

About twelve armed Somali pirates had seized the Azini on October 29, taking it in waters between Bandar Bayla and Hafun. The Navy tracked the vessel early: a warship and maritime patrol aircraft tailed it while non-lethal measures prevented it from running. Indian Air Force C-17 transport planes then airdropped Marine Commandos to the deck. All 20 crew were freed with no casualties.

The concern was practical. A vessel that size in pirate hands could become a floating base for raids on merchant shipping further out. That pattern had already played out several times in 2026: six commercial vessels were hijacked between April and August, and five seafarers died on the tanker MT Honour 25 in September.

India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated the Navy after the rescue and acknowledged the Air Force's contribution. The Azini case sat within a broader surge in the region: the vessel's seizure was reported as a threat to commercial shipping from the moment the pirates took it.