(a) whether International Maritime Bureau`s Piracy Reporting centre has indicated that Bay of Bengal is becoming major centre of piracy attack;
(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the steps proposed by the Government to curb the activities of pirates?
MINISTER OF DEFENCE (SHRI GEORGE FERNANDES)
(a) & (b): The International Maritime Bureau`s (IMB) Piracy Reporting Centre has not stated that the Bay of Bengal is becoming a major centre of piracy attack. It has, however, reported that piracy is likely to be on the increase in the waters off East and West Coasts of India owing to a shift in the centre of piracy operations from China/Hongkong to India and Iran.
(c) The Indian Navy and the Coast Guard are individually and jointly maintaining regular vigil in the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone to prevent piracy, arms smuggling and such other undesirable activities.