India set to benefit as high-risk zone redrawn

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 9

Internationally demarcated high-risk area in the Arabian Sea was redrawn afresh on Thursday, a move that will help save nearly Rs 23,000 crore for the Indian shipping industry. This will also allow the traffic of container-carrying ships to move westwards, away from the Indian west coast avoiding conflict with smaller Indian fishing vessels.

The European Union, chairing the global Contact Group of Piracy off the Coast of Somalia (CGPCS), announced the revision of the limits of the piracy High Risk Area (HRA) with effect from December 1.

The agreement by the shipping industry “round-table” to redraw the eastern limit of the HRA is a welcome move which is likely to address some of India’s maritime security concerns, which have been highlighted by the Government of India at various forums since 2012.

In June 2010, despite Indians protests, the limits of HRA had been shifted eastwards and the entire Indian west coast had been put in the risk area.