<p>Noting that the scourge of piracy off the Somali coast poses a serious problem for safety of maritime traffic with the Gulf of Aden being a major trading route for India, Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao said, "We in MEA are also at an advanced stage of drafting a new bill on piracy that would help in the prosecution of captured pirates."<br /><br />The bill seeks to define piracy, the people who can be termed as pirates, the courts of law which would be trying these pirates and the quantum of punishment to be given to the apprehended sea brigands. The proposed legislation will establish piracy as a crime and how to deal with it.<br /><br />While delivering a lecture on 'Maritime dimensions of foreign policy' at the National Maritime Foundation here yesterday, Rao also said India was "in principle" opposed to the idea of an international judicial tribunal trying pirates captured by global navies in the Gulf of Aden, as it interferes with national legal sovereignty of states.<br /><br />"On basis of legal opinion, India is inclined to support the establishment of a special chamber within the national jurisdiction of a State or States in the region, with UN participation. This option is considered suitable besides being cost effective, as it would strengthen the existing jurisdiction with the established procedures," she said.<br /><br />According to officials, there have been 165 incidents in past few years, including 45 hijackings by the pirates, who still hold over 550 hostages of various nationalities, including 39 Indians.</p>
<p>Noting that the scourge of piracy off the Somali coast poses a serious problem for safety of maritime traffic with the Gulf of Aden being a major trading route for India, Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao said, "We in MEA are also at an advanced stage of drafting a new bill on piracy that would help in the prosecution of captured pirates."<br /><br />The bill seeks to define piracy, the people who can be termed as pirates, the courts of law which would be trying these pirates and the quantum of punishment to be given to the apprehended sea brigands. The proposed legislation will establish piracy as a crime and how to deal with it.<br /><br />While delivering a lecture on 'Maritime dimensions of foreign policy' at the National Maritime Foundation here yesterday, Rao also said India was "in principle" opposed to the idea of an international judicial tribunal trying pirates captured by global navies in the Gulf of Aden, as it interferes with national legal sovereignty of states.<br /><br />"On basis of legal opinion, India is inclined to support the establishment of a special chamber within the national jurisdiction of a State or States in the region, with UN participation. This option is considered suitable besides being cost effective, as it would strengthen the existing jurisdiction with the established procedures," she said.<br /><br />According to officials, there have been 165 incidents in past few years, including 45 hijackings by the pirates, who still hold over 550 hostages of various nationalities, including 39 Indians.</p>