With the hijacked Malta-flagged MV Ruen nearing the coast of Somalia, the Indian Navy’s warship, INS Kochi, is in a wait-and-watch mode. Taking direct action could risk the lives of the crew members held hostage by the armed pirates. Prior incidents have shown that negotiations and ransom payments are common in such situations. INS Kochi and another warship are monitoring the situation, but once a hijacked ship enters territorial waters, options become limited. The MV Ruen is managed by a Bulgarian company and this is the first major hijacking in the region in the past few years.