India-Singapore Naval exercise

arjun SG

Naval exercises with Singapore from March 7 to 19
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NEW DELHI, MARCH 5. The Indian Navy will hold joint exercises with the Singapore navy from March 7 to 19 . It will be followed by exercises with the French and British navies in April. These exercises, under the ``Varuna'' and ``Konkan'' series, respectively, will take place off the western coast.

The Russian Navy had recently taken part in a joint exercise off the eastern coast.

The western coast is shallower and ships have to travel 30 nautical miles from the coast to reach a depth of 100 metres to undertake any meaningful exercise. Ships from the West prefer this coast as it is just off their main transit route.

The exercise with the Singapore navy, to be held off Kochi, will comprise three harbour and two sea phases.

Four Indian naval ships, a submarine and maritime patrol and fighter aircraft will undertake exercises with three Singapore navy ships in the sea phases, comprising intermediate and advanced level exercises.

The harbour phases include training and professional interaction at the Indian Navy's anti-submarine warfare school and navigation and direction school.

India-Singapore naval exercise ends
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KOCHI, MARCH 19. The 12-day anti-submarine warfare (ASW) exercise between the Indian Navy and the Royal Singapore Navy came to an end here today. The joint exercise comprised three harbour phases and two sea phases.

Three warships of the Singapore Navy - RSS Vigilance, RSS Victor and RSS Brave - took part in the bilateral exercise, which was the 11th such event held in consecutive years.

The sea phases of the exercise included intermediate and advanced level exercises by these ships with Indian Navy's submarine Shalki and warships INS Brahmaputra, INS Taragiri and INS Amba. Maritime patrol aircraft TU 142 M and Dornier, helicopters SeaKing MK 42B and Chetaks and the Navy's fighter aircraft, Kirans, took part in the exercise.

The harbour phases of the exercise included training and professional interactions between the RSN and Indian Naval training establishments at the Southern Naval Command such as Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) School and Navigation and Direction (N&D) School.

The joint annual exercise served as a platform for professional interaction and exchange between the two Navies.

Over the years, it has helped foster closer relations and has enhanced mutual understanding and goodwill between the two Navies.

The joint exercise with Singapore Navy has become a regular feature, especially after the liberalisation policy started by the erstwhile Congress Government.

Apart from joint exercises with India, the Singapore Navy also conducts joint exercises with major Navies like the U.S.

Any more info or pictures of these exercise.?

arjun SG

SIMBEX 2006
[url=http://indiannavy.nic.in/pres01.htm]SIMBEX 2006[/URL]

The thirteenth maritime bilateral exercise between the Indian and Singapore navies (or SIMBEX in short), is being conducted from 26 Feb to 08 Mar 06. SIMBEX, which is an institutionalised exercise between the two navies on an annual basis, being held for the first time off the eastern seaboard of India. Majority of the previous interactions have taken place off Kochi in southwest India though the last one, held in March 2005, was also for the first time in South China Sea.

Two Victory class missile corvettes, one Fearless class ASW patrol vessel and one Fokker 50 maritime patrol aircraft will be participating in SIMBEX 2006 from the RSN. The Indian Naval participation in the exercise will include one destroyer, two missile corvettes, one submarine and maritime patrol aircraft. The exercise will see both navies interacting with each other at sea as well as in the harbour. Whilst the harbour phase would focus on exchanging operational experiences through professional interaction, the sea phase would concentrate upon joint conduct of a plethora of exercises ranging from surface firings, anti-air engagements to anti-submarine warfare and maritime patrol aircraft operations.

Indian Navys operational interaction with the RSN, which commenced with training exercises in 1994 has seen a quantum leap since then. Indian Navy lays great stress on enhancing bilateral ties, improving mutual understanding and developing interoperability with regional navies through exercises such as SIMBEX. These exercises not only provide immense training value to our sea going personnel but also help in fostering mutual trust and friendship between two nations, adding strength to our commitment and resolve to tackle common challenges of maritime environment in the present scenario.