India approves death penalty for piracy

India’s cabinet has approved a bill that will punish piracy at sea with death penalty or life in prison, local media reported.

The draft law seeks to improve the safety of the nation’s navigation after a rise in attacks on vessels along critical sea routes, official sources told the NDTV television.

India has reportedly been working since 2017 on boosting maritime patrols on key sea lanes.

Its Navy has been increasingly protecting Indian sea traffic and crews in the Indian Ocean.