Sri Lanka, July 8 -- The Cabinet of Ministers has granted approval for the Sri Lanka Navy to independently conduct maritime security operations under the supervision of the Ministry of Defence.

This decision follows a proposal presented by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in his capacity as Minister of Defence, taking into account the Navy's experience and expertise in maritime security.

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) declared the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Somali Sea as high-risk zones in 2010 due to increased pirate activity targeting merchant vessels in those regions. In response, many commercial ships began employing armed maritime guards provided by foreign private security companies.

Although the IMO removed the ...