The Indian Navy was able to apprehend two fishing boats carrying Sri Lanka flags suspected to be transporting narcotics in the Arabian Sea, marking a major step in regional security cooperation. On November 24 and 25, an operation led to the capture of about 500 kilograms of crystal meth.

How was the operation carried out?

The operation was based on intelligence shared by the Sri Lankan Navy and aerial surveillance from the Indian Naval Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft and Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA). With this information, the Indian Navy identified and located two vessels involved in the illegal activity.

The Indian Navy also got the support of the Information Fusion Centre (Indian Ocean Region) at Gurugram. The Indian Navy deployed a warship to intercept the vessels. This was backed by aerial surveillance, which helped coordinate the boarding and seizure of the drugs.

The seized narcotics, along with the boats and crew members, have been handed over to Sri Lankan authorities for further investigation and legal action. This operation demonstrates strong maritime partnership between India and Sri Lanka with their respective joint commitment toward tackling challenges on regional security, like the smuggling of narcotics in the region.

The operation also highlighted that the Indian Navy and forces of Sri Lanka are united and their stand for the activities in the Indian Ocean is united. Apart from the seizure of the ship, the Indian Navy had deputed an additional warship to ensure a successful mission and comprehensive watch in the area.

This operation comes close to the finishing of the Pan-India Coastal Defence Exercise Sea Vigil 2024 that commenced from November 13th to 21st but Phase II lasted for as long as 36 hours. The exercise included over 21 agencies from the jurisdictions of six ministries which incorporate the Indian Navy, the Coast Guard, State Marine Police, and several more.

Sea Vigil 2024, which involves 550 surface assets and 60 air sorties, has showcased India's strong commitment to improving its security at sea and coastal protection mechanisms along the entire stretch of 11,098 km coastline.

These activities reveal how both India and Sri Lanka are strengthening their maritime security engagement while also displaying India's interest in securing its extended maritime borders.