India sends four warships to the east, kicks off exercise with Singapore

[anant_s]

File photo of US warship BOXER LHD 4 during India-US joint Naval exercise in Goa. ( TOI photo: Uma Kadam)

NEW DELHI: India has dispatched four warships, including a frontline destroyer and a stealth frigate, on a long overseas deployment to Indian Ocean and South China Sea in consonance with the country's "Act East" policy.

As part of the endeavor, two of the warships — stealth frigate INS Satpura and anti-submarine warfare corvette INS Kamorta — also kicked off the four-day Simbex exercise with the Singaporean Navy on Saturday.

The Eastern Fleet's deployment led by rear admiral AB Singh will see the warships, which also include destroyer INS Ranvir and fleet tanker INS Shakti, make port calls at Jakarta (Indonesia), Freemantle (Australia), Kuantan (Malaysia), Sattahip (Thailand) and Sihanoukville (Cambodia).

"The visits are aimed at strengthening bilateral ties and enhancing interoperability between navies as well as showing the Indian flag in this region of strategic importance. After each port call, passage exercise are also planned with the respective host navies," said a senior officer.

As for the Simbex exercise, it will include all facets of naval operations ranging from air defence and surface firing to maritime security and search and rescue operations with Singaporean warship RSN Supreme and submarine RSN Archer along with fighters, patrol aircraft and helicopters.

Indian Naval warship INS Visakhapatnam sails into the Arabian Sea during its launch at Mazagon Docks. (Reuters photo)

"Operational interaction between the Indian and Singaporean navies began with anti-submarine warfare training exercises in 1994. The exercises have steadily grown in tactical and operational complexity over the last 20 years," he said.

"Constructive engagement is our principle weapon during peacetime. The idea is to enhance security and stability in the entire Indian Ocean Region (IOR) by engaging with regional and extra-regional maritime powers," he added.

India feels its central location in the IOR, astride major commercial routes and energy lifelines like the Malacca Strait, makes it a major stakeholder in the region's security and stability.

India, of course, is also building strong maritime security bridges with countries like Japan and Vietnam in a bid to counter China's assertive behavior in the entire Asia-Pacific region.

Commanding Officer captain Tarun Sobti, logistics officer cadre Dwaipayan Basu and navigating officer lt cdr Rahul Pawar on bord INS Kolkata. (TOI photo: Raju M Shinde)

China has steadily stepped up its forays into the IOR with its rapidly-growing Navy being equipped with advanced nuclear submarines, destroyers and frigates and training for long-range deployments.

While India wants to be a neutral player in the ongoing geopolitical jostling between the US and China, especially in the new "Great Game" unfolding in the crucial Asia-Pacific region, it cannot afford to ignore the warnings in its own strategic backyard of IOR.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/India-sends-four-warships-to-the-east-kicks-off-exercise-with-Singapore/articleshow/47398279.cms

 

[Optimos Prime IA]

Very good development between India and eastern countries . Soon with Ina decade we must be able to send more warships simultaneously