Fact Check: This video DOES NOT show Indian Navy detaining Somali pirates

A video allegedly showing Indian Navy officers capturing Somali pirates has been widely shared on social media. An X user shared the video of armed officers detaining people on board a ship and wrote: "Indian Navy MARCOS (Marine Commandos) captured 35 Somali pirates during anti-pirates operation".

India Today Fact Check found that the video actually shows the joint military exercise LAMITIYE 2026, held in Seychelles in March, which involved the Indian Armed Forces and the Seychelles Defence Forces.

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A reverse image search of keyframes from the viral clip led us to the same video posted on a Facebook page called Defence Squad on March 20. The caption of the post read, "Indian Navy MARCOS and Seychelles Defence Forces Special Operations Unit during the Joint Military Exercise LAMITIYE 2026".

Subsequent keyword searches yielded multiple news reports that featured a screenshot from the viral clip. According to these reports, the 11th India-Seychelles joint military exercise, LAMITIYE 2026, took place in Seychelles from March 9 to March 20.

This exercise involved the Indian Armed Forces, including the army, navy, and air force, alongside the Seychelles Defence Forces. The primary goal of the exercise was to enhance interoperability, operational synergy, and mutual understanding in semi-urban and maritime security scenarios.

We did not find any recent news regarding the capture of Somali pirates by the Indian Navy. However, in March 2024, the Indian Navy did capture 35 Somali pirates who had hijacked a bulk carrier and taken hostages. The navy subsequently handed over all 35 pirates to the Mumbai Police for prosecution.

Thus, it's clear that the viral claim is misleading.