Yes, fully agree. What's the reason for the navy? Indeed, to protect their / the merchant fleet as well.
Let the nation's merchant fleet unprotected against those pirates is unacceptable, but 'sending a fregat' in not really useful, their operating range is so big that any navy vessel will be too late. If a navy vessel will catch a pirate boat, they're just lucky.
I am wondering if their territory is now smaller due to the strong Indian monsoon? :-D