The Indian Navy has thwarted a piracy attempt in western part of the Indian Ocean and saved oil-tanker ‘MV Mashallah 1’.The Navy said on Wednesday that its warship INS Kolkatta, deployed around the Gulf of Aden, responded swiftly to inputs of pirate activity near merchant vessel MV Mashallah 1 in the Western Indian Ocean and undertook prompt action to investigate and deter the threat.“This timely intervention ensured safety of the merchant vessel and prevented a possible piracy attack,” the Navy said.A helicopter was launched from the deck of the INS Kolkatta and a team boarded ‘Mashallah 1’.Since 2008, the Indian Navy has maintained a continuous anti-piracy deployment in the Gulf of Aden.The Navy said it remains committed to safeguarding merchant shipping, countering piracy and ensuring safe and secure seas.The INS Kolkatta was commissioned in 2014 and has a large indigenous combat component. The ship is packed with the most sophisticated state-of-the-art weapons and sensors including the vertically launched Long Range Surface to Air Missiles (LRSAM) coupled with the MF-STAR multi-function active phased array radar, which is fitted for the first time on an Indian Naval ship.The ship is equipped with advanced supersonic and long-range BrahMos Surface to Surface Missiles – a joint Indo-Russian venture, and 76-mm Super Rapid Gun Mount (SRGM).