Bahrain is stepping up its defences against marine piracy, to combat a potentially major threat to the region's economy.

A first step is to study India's experience in fighting piracy, given its navy's high-profile successes.

The Bahrain Centre for Studies and Research (BCSR) is organising a seminar on India's tactics today at its premises in Awali.

New Delhi-based Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) West Asia department professor Aftab Kamal Pasha will be the speaker.

The topic of his presentation is the India-GCC Relationship in the Light of the new Marine Piracy Phenomenon.

The seminar is aimed at studying India's successful experience in fighting marine piracy, said BCSR board of trustees chairman Dr Mohammed Al Ghatam.

"We believe that piracy is a threat to international trade and security to marine navigation," he noted.

"Indian ships have successfully and cleverly fought pirates in recent months. It is important to make use of the Indian experience in preventing marine piracy in the Gulf."

Dr Al Ghatam said India was one of the largest importers of oil from the Gulf. "If the maritime channels are threatened by pirates, it will result in great losses for both India and the GCC," he said.

Intellectuals and ministry officials will attend the seminar.

Dr Al Ghatam said the GCC countries in general and Bahrain in particular enjoyed an excellent relationship with India. "The ties in jointly fighting piracy will give a new dimension to our relationship," he said.

Indian Ambassador Balkrishna Shetty congratulated BCSR on its plan to organise such an important seminar. "The topic is extremely relevant now as our region's shipping is threatened by pirates," he noted.

"India recently succeeded in stopping two major piracy attempts. INS Tabar and INS Mysore were involved in the operations. In the second incident, 23 pirates were arrested and their weapons seized."

The seminar, said  Shetty, offered an opportunity for co-operation for mutual benefits. Dr Pasha is an expert on West Asian affairs and has published several articles on Indo-GCC relationship.-TradeArabia News Service