India this week deployed more than 10 warships carrying marine commandos into the Arabian Sea in order to combat piracy and drone strikes in the region, The Times of India reports.

"Indian warships are deployed all over the region to enhance surveillance and deterrence against the twin threats from pirates and drone strikes. The aim is to help stabilize the situation in the Arabian Sea and promote net maritime security," an unnamed senior Indian Navy officer told the Times of India, noting that they will maintain a "persistent presence" in the Arabian Sea.

The move comes after multiple civilian and military ships have come under attack by Houthi rebels located in Yemen, which threaten communications and has caused a hike in freight rates.

"The Navy's 'mission-based deployments' in the region enable rapid responses to emerging security challenges," the officer added.

Abhijit Singh, who heads the Maritime Policy Initiative at the New Delhi-based think tank the Observer Research Foundation, noted the sudden increase in hijackings in the region in an interview with The Jerusalem Post.

"The sudden revival in ship hijacking and attacks can only be attributed to the pirates' willingness to take advantage of the fact that the focus of anti-piracy maritime forces has largely shifted from the Gulf of Aden to the Red Sea," Singh said.

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