NEW DELHI - THE Indian navy says it has arrested 23 pirates who threatened a merchant vessel in the Gulf of Aden.
Navy spokesman Commander Nirad Sinha says Indian forces repulsed the pirates on Saturday as they were about to board the merchant ship.
He says the pirates are from Somalia and Yemen, two countries surrounding the Gulf of Aden.
No further details were immediately available.
Last month, India's navy drew criticism after sinking a Thai fishing trawler that had been commandeered hours earlier by pirates.
The navy defended its actions, saying it had fired in self-defense.
Somali pirates have become increasingly brazen, and recently seized a Saudi supertanker loaded with US$100 million (S$149 million) worth of crude oil. -- AP
