FBOP vessels play a crucial role while protecting maritime borders as they help in demarking borders on waters.

A BSF officer said that these vessels will act as a floating base for the flotilla of fast patrol boats and will supply petrol, drinking water, provisions to the smaller boats and will be deployed on India’s eastern and western borders.

The three indigenously-built FBOP vessels will act as the strategic base stations at India’s border with Pakistan and Bangladesh.

These vessels are important for the nation with regards to its safety and will also help in boosting the business through the country’s coastal and inland waterways.

A batch of three similar vessels was delivered to the BSF earlier last year and the next batch of three vessels will be delivered soon.

With the induction of the second batch of FBOP vessels, the total number of such vessels in the BSF fleet has now reached 12.

The three FBOP’s, with a length of 46 meters, are part of a series of nine vessels being built for the Water Wing of the Border Security Force. These vessels are designed in-house by CSL and classed by the Indian Register of Shipping. Each FBOP is designed with storage arrangements for four fast patrol boats, which can be launched and hoisted using its davit system.

The post Three Floating Border Out-Post Vessels Inducted in Border Security Force appeared first on IMR.

As a result of its intensive patrolling in coastal areas, the ICG has seized more than 3.5 tonnes of drugs coming through the sea route in the last two years. The Coast Guard is working in close synergy with several agencies.

Post 26/11 attacks in 2008, the Central government brought in various reforms to tighten the coastal security.

In November 2008, 10 terrorists had entered India from Pakistan via the sea route and targeted multiple locations, including Taj Hotel, Nariman House and Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, in Mumbai. At least 166 persons were killed and over 300 injured in the attacks that lasted four days.

The post Coast Guard deploys 40 ships, 10 aircraft for patrolling daily appeared first on IMR.

The IN, under the command of Rear Adm Ajay Kochhar, Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet, participated with indigenous guided missile destroyer, INS Kochi (with Sea King MK 42B helicopter) and the Guided Missile Frigate INS Teg (with search-and-rescue capable Chetak helicopter). The IN also fielded a P8I, a shore-based maritime reconnaissance aircraft and MiG 29K fighters. The JMSDF was led by Rear Adm IkeuchiIzuru, Commander, Escort Flotilla Three comprising of the Izumo-class helicopter carrier Kaga and the guided missile destroyer Murasame. Both ships participated with integral SH60K helicopters.
Setting the operational tempo from the start, the units exercised war-at-sea scenario with P8I (IN) providing maritime reconnaissance support to both navies. The units practised replenishment at sea approaches and undertook fuel rig connect-up between Kaga and Kochi. The exercise also involved complex over-the-horizon targeting exercises and surface gun shoots on an expendable target. An advanced coordinated anti-submarine exercise involving an underwater target deployed by JMSDF saw surface units and IN’s P8I aircraft exercising with seamless coordination. Flag officers of the two forces also met on the flight decks of Kochi and Kaga during flying operations, in keeping with the true spirit of military friendship.

The air domain operations included advanced anti-aircraft firing exercises on expendable aerial target launched from the deck of INS Kochi and ship controlled beyond-visual-range (BVR) combat drills by IN’s MiG 29K fighters. The exercise involved a high tempo of flying operations with MiG 29K fighters coming in for multiple simulated air strike on surface units, shepherded by the IN’s Maritime Patrol Aircraft, Dornier. The inclement weather did little to hold back IN and JMSDF helicopters from undertaking cross-deck landings, showcasing a high level of interoperability.

The precision, coordination and the high level of interoperability reflected the high standards of professionalism and preparedness the two navies maintain to counter threats at sea, and also high level of trust and understanding that they have built over the years. The complex maritime exercises undertaken will enable the two navies to further strengthen their already wide-ranging strategic partnership and, when required, to jointly safeguard their maritime interests and ensure peace, security and stability in the region.

Meanwhile, both the Indian and Japanese naval forces had been active outside of JIMEX as well. The Indian Navy conducted the fourth edition of AUSINDEX, between the Indian Navy and the Royal Australian Navy. During the exercises from September 6-10, the Indian contingent included INS Shivalik and Kadmatt, the most recent indigenously designed and developed guided missile stealth frigate and anti-submarine corvette respectively, part of the Indian Navy’s Eastern Fleet based in Visakhapatnam in southern India. The Australian side was represented by the Anzac-class frigate HMAS Warramunga, which also took part in the Malabar exercises. According to an Indian press release, the 2021 edition of AUSINDEX included complex surface, sub-surface, and air operations between ships, submarines, helicopters, and long-range maritime patrol aircraft of the participating navies, with the goal of strengthening interoperability and developing a shared understanding of processes and procedures for maritime security operations.

The JMSDF, too, had a busy schedule. There was a major naval exercise in the waters off the southeast of Okinawa involving six participating navies – the U.S. Navy, the U.K. Royal Navy, the JMSDF, the Royal Netherlands Navy, the Royal Canadian Navy and the Royal New Zealand Navy – with a total of 17 surface ships, including four aircraft carriers. According to a press release issued by the JMSDF, the exercise was meant to bolster the Japanese forces’ “tactical skills and interoperability with the participating navies.” The exercise involved anti-submarine warfare, air defense warfare, tactical movement, and communications training.

The post JIMEX – 5 Japan – India Maritime Exercise appeared first on IMR.

Sri Lanka hosted the fourth National Security Adviser-level trilateral meeting on maritime security cooperation with India and the Maldives. It took place after six years. The last meeting was held in New Delhi in 2014.

ALSO READ: Internal Security : A Call for Banning the Popular Front of India

According to a joint statement issued by Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Defence, the three countries – recognising the significance of the forum for promoting meaningful cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region on common issues pertaining to maritime security – took stock of the current maritime security environment in the region.

They discussed mutual cooperation in the areas of Maritime Domain Awareness, Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief, Joint Exercises, Capacity Building, Maritime Security and Threats, Marine Pollution, and Maritime Underwater Heritage, it said.

They agreed to further strengthen cooperation in dealing with these challenges, to ensure peace and security in the region for common benefit, the joint statement said.

The three countries also exchanged views on common security threats and agreed to broad base cooperation by expanding the scope to improve intelligence sharing and include issues like terrorism, radicalisation, extremism, drugs, arms and human trafficking, money laundering, cyber security and effect of climate change on maritime environment, it said.

Chinese Influence

The meeting took place amidst China’s attempts to enhance its influence in the resource-rich Indo-Pacific region and the Indian Ocean.

China views the Maldives and Sri Lanka as key to its Maritime Silk Road project in the Indian Ocean. It has already acquired the Hambantota port in Sri Lanka on long lease and established a military base in Djibouti in the Horn of Africa.

The Heads of Delegations agreed to meet regularly to share, discuss and ensure timely implementation of decisions taken at the meeting. They also decided to hold Deputy NSA level working group meetings biannually for cooperation at operational level, according to the statement.

Mauritius and Seychelles were represented virtually at senior officials’ level, it said, adding that in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, the dialogue was conducted adhering to strict health guidelines using the ‘Air Bubble’ concept for the visiting delegations.

Sri Lanka, India and the Maldives launched the Trilateral NSA level Meeting on Maritime Security Cooperation in 2011 and three meetings have been held so far.

The past deliberations and outcomes have helped the three countries in improving close coordination in maritime security of the region. These were supplemented by Deputy NSA level meetings for sustained engagements and implementation of the discussions at the NSA level meetings, the statement said.

Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena addressed the meeting as the chief guest. Foreign Secretary Admiral Prof. Jayanath Colombage also attended the event, the Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry tweeted.

Doval, who arrived in Colombo on Friday for the dialogue, on Friday met Didi and held a cordial and detailed discussion on deepening bilateral partnership with the key island nation in the Indian Ocean.

He called on Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Saturday and had a “productive” discussion with him on the ways to diversify and deepen the bilateral relationship.

NSA-Defence Secretary Meet

Doval also met Gunaratne on Friday and they agreed on several steps to further strengthen the “valuable” cooperation between the two countries which also contributes to peace and security in the region.

The high-level trilateral meeting is designed to initiate collective action on maritime security including maritime domain awareness, legal regimes, train in search and rescue, maritime pollution response, information sharing, curbing piracy drugs arms and contraband trafficking in the Indian Ocean region.

On Thursday, the External Affairs Ministry in New Delhi said the NSA-level trilateral meeting had served as an effective platform for cooperation among Indian Ocean countries.

“The meeting will provide an opportunity for discussion on issues pertaining to cooperation in maritime security in the Indian Ocean region,” the MEA said in a statement.

This is Doval’s second official visit to Sri Lanka this year. In January, he visited the island nation and discussed a range of bilateral issues, including strengthening cooperation in defence, intelligence sharing and maritime security with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

The post India, Lanka and Maldives bolster maritime security appeared first on IMR.