New Delhi: As part of Indian Navy's deployment to ASEAN countries, Indian Naval ships Delhi and Satpura, under the command of Rear Admiral Gurcharan Singh, Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet (FOCEF), are making a port call at Sihanoukville, Cambodia from May 11-14, 2023. The port call demonstrates India's cordial ties with the Kingdom of Cambodia.
Indian Navy said in a statement, during the port call, personnel from both the navies will engage in a wide range of professional interactions, deck visits and sports exchanges, aimed at enhancing interoperability and mutual understanding.
INS Delhi is India's first indigenously built guided missile Destroyer and INS Satpura is an indigenous multi purpose stealth Frigate. The two ships are equipped with a versatile array of weapons and sensors and can carry multi-role helicopters. Both ships are a testimony of India's advanced ship design and shipbuilding capabilities.
The visit of the Indian Naval ships seeks to consolidate the strong bonds of friendship that exist between the two countries, by strengthening maritime cooperation, the statement said.
Earlier this month, the inaugural edition of AIME was co-hosted by the Republic of Singapore Navy and Indian Navy in Singapore. It witnessed participation of ships and personnel from other ASEAN countries.
The harbour phase of the exercise was held at Changi Naval Base from 02 – 04 May 2023 and the Sea Phase was conducted from 07 to 08 May 2023 in the South China Sea.
The AIME-23 was aimed at promoting maritime cooperation and enhancing trust, friendship and confidence amongst ASEAN and Indian Navies. It witnessed a range of professional and social interactions between the participating navies which includes cross deck visits, Subject Matter Expert Exchanges (SMEE) and planning meetings. The Sea Phase in the South China Sea provided an opportunity for the participating navies to develop closer links in the coordination and execution of operations in the maritime domain.
(Defence Watch– India's Defence News centre that focuses on Defence Manufacturing, Defence Technology, Strategy and Military affairs is on Twitter. Follow us here and stay updated.)