Shift high risk area in Arabian Sea: India tells IMO

"India has raised the matter with Maritime Safety Committee at IMO to shift the High Risk Area West of 65 degree East Longitude," Minister of State for Defence Jitendra Singh told the Lok Sabha.

Singh said some foreign vessels transit very close to Indian West Coast to avoid piracy attack by Somalian pirates, leading to their transgression into the fishing zone utilised by Indian fishermen.

He said this relates to the High Risk Area -- West of 78 degrees East Longitude -- declared by the IMO.

Singh said India has been raising the issue "very actively" at the United Nations and other agencies.

The minister said Indian Coast Guard has been carrying out regular patrolling and air surveillance to ensure coastal security.

He said the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) and other agencies have already issued advisories to merchant vessels transiting the area to be careful about small fishing boats.

"A Navigational Warning 'NAVAREA' has also been issued by the Chief Hydrographer of India sensitising the transiting merchant traffic about fishing activities in the area," Singh said.

The minister said the Coast Guard also conducted regular community interaction programmes with the fishing community to apprise them about the safety measures to be observed to ensure safety at sea.

At least two incidents of fishermen being harmed by merchant ships in the Arabian Sea, including killing of two by Italian naval men, have been reported this year.