Section 2. India does not have a separate domestic legislation on piracy. The provisions of the Indian Penal Co

2. India does not have a separate domestic legislation on piracy. The provisions of the Indian Penal Code pertaining to armed robbery and the Admiralty jurisdiction of certain courts have been invoked in the past to prosecute pirates apprehended by the Indian Navy and the Coast Guard but in the absence of any specific law relating to the offence of maritime piracy in India, problems are being faced in ensuring effective prosecution of the pirates. 2. Definitions.— (1) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,— (a) "authorised personnel" means the officers and sailors assigned to warships or military aircraft of the Indian Navy or officers and enrolled persons of the Coast Guard assigned to ships or aircraft of the Indian Coast Guard or officers of the Central Government or the State Government authorised for any ship or aircraft clearly marked and identifiable as being on Government service; (b) "Code" means the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974); (c) "Convention" means the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, 1982; (d) "Designated Court" means a Court of Session specified as such under section 8; (e) "high seas" includes the Exclusive Economic Zone and all waters beyond the jurisdiction of any other State. Explanation.— For the purposes of this clause, "Exclusive Economic Zone" means the Exclusive Economic Zone of any other State including the Exclusive Economic Zone of India; (f) "notification" means a notification published in the Official Gazette; (g) "other State" means any country other than India; (h) "piracy" means— (i) any illegal act of violence or detention or any act of depredation committed for private ends by any person or by the crew or any passenger of a private ship and directed on the high seas against another ship or any person or property on board such ship; (ii) any act of voluntary participation in the operation of a ship with knowledge of facts, making it a pirate ship; (iii) any act of inciting or of intentionally facilitating an act described in sub-clause (i) or sub-clause (ii); or