The Hindu
Indian and foreign naval vessels taking part in the passage exercise
held in Andaman Sea on Sunday marking the closure of the ninth edition
of Milan multi-naval interaction. Photo: Special Arrangement
The ninth and the largest edition of the Milan series of naval
engagements which saw the
participation of 16 foreign navies drew to a
close on Sunday with the Commander-in-Chief of the joint services
Andaman and Nicobar Command Air Marshal P.K. Roy taking salute from
aboard the naval offshore patrol vessel INS Saryu as 14 ships, including
nine foreign naval vessels, steamed past in a passage exercise.
The exercise, said a naval spokesperson, gave a glimpse into the level
of engagement the Indian Navy had with friendly navies and helped
revalidate communication procedures and standard operating procedures
for interoperability among ships of participating navies.
While delegations and foreign warships departed Port Blair, UMS King
Aungzeya and UMS Anawrahta of the Myanmar Navy returned to Port Blair's
Haddo Wharf for a few days' work-up [training to optimise operational
capabilities of the ships' crew] with assistance from the Indian Navy.
Indian naval sources said the work-up would be followed by a coordinated
patrol of the international maritime boundary line [IMBL] near the Coco
Islands by Indian and Myanmar naval ships. "The second edition of the
India-Myanmar Corpat will see vessels from both sides patrolling the
area against poaching, human trafficking and other unlawful activities,"
sources said.
In all, six ships of the Indian Navy took part in PASSEX. INS Saryu, a
new generation patrol vessel which was commissioned last year and
deployed into the Gulf of Aden on anti-piracy patrol soon after, was the
lead ship. The vessel is now gearing up for its first crew changeover
in the next two months.
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