Indian Navy deploys surveillance aircraft in Seychelles

New Delhi, Feb 24 (PTI) Indian Navy has deployed aDornier maritime surveillance aircraft in the Seychelles forcarrying out anti-piracy operations in the Indian OceanRegion.

Stationed at the Seychelles'' capital Victoria, theDornier was deployed last week and would be operated by Navycrew on anti-piracy patrol duties in the Indian Ocean Region(IOR), navy officials said here today.

"The aircraft along with crew member flew a week backfor its assignment off the Seychelles coast. Besides guardingthe its Exclusive Economic Zone, it would be used foranti-piracy patrol duties," they added.

India and the Seychelles had agreed to enhancecooperation in maritime security areas after a two-day visitby the Defence Minister A K Antony to the island nation inJuly 2010.

Besides Dornier, Two Chetak maritime choppers wouldalso be provided to the Seychelles for its fight againstsea-pirates.

India, recently, has taken several steps to enhanceits presence in the IOR and initiated a series of maritimeoperations to check piracy.