The Centre on Monday said efforts are on to rescue the 26 sailors, including 24 Indians, who were on board M V Al Khaliq, the Panamanian-flagged vessel hijacked by Somalian pirates on October 22.

"This is an International issue. Discussions are being held in Delhi," Union Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi told reporters here.

The Centre is also contemplating bringing in stringent rules to curb activities of job racketeers and "spurious" agents who send people abroad on fake documents, he said.

"Many state governments are taking action against such people. But there is need for stringent rules to stop this," he said, adding that a draft rule in this regard has already been prepared and circulated.