The Indian Naval Ships (INS) Trikand and Sumitra, along with the Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) Dornier recently took part in the 13th edition of ‘Naseem Al Bahr’ (Sea Breeze), significantly marking a new phase in maritime collaborations. This prominent participation throws light on India’s noteworthy presence and active role in bilateral maritime exercises.
Participating Units from Indian Navy
Starting off with INS Trikand, it is a frontline frigate equipped with versatile weapons and sensors, forming a crucial part of the Indian Navy’s Western Fleet based in Mumbai. On the other hand, INS Sumitra, a multirole offshore patrol vessel is part of the Eastern Fleet of the Indian Navy, stationed at Visakhapatnam. The third participant, MPA Dornier, also demonstrated its capabilities in the exercise.
About Naseem Al Bahr
Moving to the event itself, Naseem Al Bahr is a significant bilateral maritime exercise conducted between the Indian Navy (IN) and the Royal Navy of Oman (RNO). The most recent version of this exercise was held from 19th to 24th November 2022 off the coast of Oman and was split into three phases: the harbour phase, sea phase, and debrief. Interestingly, this naval exercise has a historical significance, given that the first IN-RNO exercise was conducted back in 1993. As of 2022, it marks 30 prosperous years of IN-RNO bilateral exercises.
Significance of Naseem Al Bahr
The relationship between India and Oman has always been underlined by a sense of warmth and friendship, further enhanced by common cultural values. The naval exercises like Naseem Al Bahr have added strength and substance to these bilateral ties, emphasizing robust diplomatic relations and cooperation in the field of maritime security.
India’s Other Bilateral Maritime Exercises
Apart from Oman, India conducts bilateral maritime exercises with several other nations. These include the India-Thailand Coordinated Patrol (Indo-Thai CORPAT) with Thailand, the Samudra Shakti with Indonesia and Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercise (SIMBEX) with Singapore. Continuing this list is Zair-Al-Bahr with Qatar, Bongosagar Exercise with Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka-India Naval Exercise (SLINEX) with Sri Lanka. Japan participates in the Japan Maritime bilateral exercise (JIMEX) and Maritime Partnership Exercise (MPX) with India. Last but not least, the VARUNA exercise is conducted with France. These exercises display India’s global maritime engagement and commitment to ensuring a safer and more secure maritime environment.
