Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said that the Indian government has taken serious cognisance of the recent attacks on merchant navy ships MV Chem Pluto and MV Sai Baba, and it will take strict action against those behind the attacks by finding them even from the ‘depths of seas’.

“The Indian government has taken the drone attack on MV Chem Pluto and attack on MV Saibaba in the Red Sea seriously. We will find those who executed the recent attacks on merchant navy ships even from the depths of the seas and take strict action against them,” Singh said.

He was speaking after the commissioning of stealth guided missile destroyer INS Imphal.

On Saturday, MV Chem Pluto with 21 Indian crew members, was struck by a drone about 217 nautical miles from Gujarat’s Porbandar.

A Gabon-flagged commercial crude oil tanker with 25 Indian crew members reportedly came under a drone attack in the Southern Red Sea. Indian officials later said that the commercial oil tanker was not an Indian-flagged vessel.

Meanwhile, Navy chief Admiral R Hari Kumar said four destroyers have been deployed to counter piracy and drone attacks on merchant ships. He said P-8I aircraft, Dorniers, Sea Guardians, helicopters and Coast Guard ships – all have been deployed jointly to counter the threats of piracy and drone attacks.

(With inputs from PTI)