In an operation spanning more than 48 hours, the Indian Navy successfully rescued the fishing vessel Azini from armed pirates, securing the safe release of all 20 crew members without any casualties or injuries.The Navy said on Tuesday that the fishing vessel had been hijacked by an armed pirate group earlier last month off the northeastern coast of Somalia.The hijacking represented a significant maritime security threat, as the vessel could possibly have been employed as a ‘mother ship’ to launch further pirate attacks against merchant ships in the region.Responding to the situation, the Indian Navy tasked a mission-deployed warship, INS Kolkata, to intervene the vessel, supported by a maritime reconnaissance aircraft. Working in coordination, these platforms located the vessel after persistent surveillance, tracked its movements and employed calibrated non-kinetic measures to contain its movement and prevent its escape.Marine Commandos were para-dropped by an Indian Air Force (IAF) C-17 aircraft to carry out the operation.During the tactical intervention, the Navy secured the vessel, overcame the pirate threat and ensured the safe release of all 20 crew members.The successful operation demonstrated the Indian Navy’s operational preparedness and its ability to undertake complex maritime security operations through seamless inter-service coordination.It also underscores India’s commitment to remaining a ‘First Responder and Preferred Security Partner’ in the Indian Ocean Region, the Navy said.