With the problem of piracy on the increase off the African coast, Rwanda, a key country of the continent on Monday said India could play a crucial role in tackling the scourge as it had "vast resources".
Rwandan President Paul Kagame said the international community would have to cooperate to ensure that Somalian pirates did not take control of important international sea routes.
"A framework to coordinate the resources efficiently and effectively is required," he said at an interaction after delivering a lecture on 'Imperatives of Nation Building in Africa: Security, Peace and Reconciliation' organised by the Indian Council of World Affairs in New Delhi.
"India, with its vast resources, can come handy (in dealing with piracy)," he added.
Piracy in the Gulf of Aden, particularly off the Somalian coast, has been increasingly posing threat to international maritime, prompting India to deploy a warship in the area to ensure that the danger is neutralised.
Pirates from Somalia have carried out more than 112 attacks in the African waters around the Gulf of Aden since the beginning of 2008 and hijacked for ransom numerous merchant ships, including those with Indians on board.
A number of ships and sailors are still in captivity of the Somalian pirates.
President Kagame said piracy was a "product of such a situation" where there was a "breakdown" of the structure of governance.
He said the reasons which give birth to piracy should also be looked into.
Somalia has been plagued by relentless fighting involving a myriad of clans, Islamist groups, as well as Ethiopian troops and Somali Government forces.