Navies of India, Indonesia begin joint patrol in Andaman sea, Malacca straits

New Delhi, June 14: With an aim to enhance regional maritime security, the navies of India and Indonesia began coordinated patrol in the Andaman Sea and the Malacca Strait.

 

The 38th India-Indonesia Coordinated Patrol (IND-INDO CORPAT) between the Indian Navy Units of Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) and Indonesian Navy is being conducted from June 13 to 24, a statement issued by the Ministry of Defence said.

 

 

It is the first post-pandemic Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT) between the two countries. It includes a visit by the Indonesian Navy units to ANC at Port Blair from June 13 to 15, 2022 followed by a Sea Phase in the Andaman Sea and visit by IN Units to Sabang (Indonesia) from June 23 to 24, 2022, read the statement.

 

 

As part of Government of India’s vision of SAGAR (Security And Growth for All in the Region), Naval Component under the aegis of HQ ANC undertakes coordinated patrols with other littoral countries of the Andaman Sea along respective Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) towards enhancing regional maritime security.

 

India and Indonesia have enjoyed especially close relations, covering a wide spectrum of activities and interactions which have strengthened over the years. The two Navies have been carrying out CORPAT along their International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) since 2002, the statement said. This has helped build understanding and interoperability between both the Navies and has facilitated measures to prevent and suppress Illegal Unreported Unregulated (IUU) fishing, drug trafficking, maritime terrorism, armed robbery and piracy, etc.