NEW DELHI: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday appreciated the efforts of the Indian Navy and emphasised on India’s Neighborhood First policy while speaking with the crew of Indian Naval Ship Gharial which is in Colombo, Sri Lanka, to deliver relief material. At the same time, the warships as part of the third edition of Indian Navy-Bangladesh Navy bilateral exercise, ‘Bongosagar’, were busy completing the Sea Phase in the Bay of Bengal from 26-27 May.
Expressing his happiness at INS Gharial reaching Sri Lanka, Singh stated this is in keeping with India’s age-old tradition of standing by with our friends in times of need.Exercise Bongosagar is aimed at developing a high degree of interoperability and joint operational skills through the conduct of maritime exercises and operations between the two navies.
Indian Naval ships Kora, an indigenously built Guided Missile Corvette, and Sumedha, an indigenously built Offshore Patrol Vessel, are participating in the exercise. Bangladesh Navy is being represented by BNS Abu Ubaidah and Ali Haider, both Guided Missile Frigates.
Indian Navy is extending humanitarian aid while holding maritime maneuvers with foreign navies.
Meanwhie, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Training Squadron ships JS Kashima and JS Shimakaze carried out underway fuelling with Indian Navy tanker INS Aditya in Central Arabian Sea. Manoeuvres at sea were also undertaken to enhance interoperability between the Indian Navy and JMSDF, the Indian Navy said on Tuesday.
Also, the second joint patrolling in the South-Western Indian Ocean last week between navies of India and France concluded. Meanwhile, India and Australia have been working on expanding maritime surveillance and anti-submarine warfare cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region.