The navies of India and Indonesia on Monday began an 11-day coordinated patrol in Andaman Sea and Malacca Strait.
The 38th edition of the exercise IND-INDO CORPAT, conducted for the first time after the COVID-19 pandemic, will take place till June 24, a statement issued by the Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) said.
As part of the exercise, Indonesian naval units will visit the ANC headquarters at Port Blair from June 13-15, followed by a sea phase in Andaman Sea and then a visit by Indian Navy units at Sabang in Indonesia from June 23-24.
Indian Navy conducts coordinated patrol with other littoral countries of the Andaman Sea along their respective Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) with an aim to enhance regional maritime security, the statement said.
India and Indonesia have enjoyed especially close relations, covering a wide spectrum of activities and interactions which have strengthened over the years, it said.
The two navies have been carrying out CORPAT along their International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) since 2002. This has helped build understanding and interoperability between both the navies and has facilitated measures to prevent and suppress illegal unreported unregulated fishing, drug trafficking, maritime terrorism, armed robbery and piracy, the statement said.
