Coast Guard ship Samudra Paheredar's visiting Manila to enhance India-ASEAN maritime cooperation
| 2024-03-26
Indian Coast Guard (ICG) ship Samudra Paheredar arrives at Manila Bay, Philippines, on March 25, 2024.
Samudra Paheredar will make port calls in Manila (Philippines), Ho Chi Minh (Vietnam), and Muara (Brunei)
In a substantial move to enhance maritime cooperation and pollution response capabilities with ASEAN countries, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) ship Samudra Paheredar, a specialized Pollution Control Vessel, arrived at Manila Bay, Philippines, on a three-day visit on Monday (March 25, 2024).
This visit is part of the ICG's broader initiative to demonstrate its marine pollution response capabilities and its mutual concern and resolve towards marine pollution in the ASEAN region.
The visit of ICGS Samudra Paheredar to Manila marks the commencement of its overseas deployment mission to key ASEAN countries, including the Philippines, Vietnam, and Brunei, from March 25 to April 12, 2024. This deployment, the third of its kind to the ASEAN region, aims to bolster bilateral cooperation, particularly with the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), and to showcase India's commitment to maritime safety, security, and environmental protection.
During its deployment, Samudra Paheredar will make port calls in Manila (Philippines), Ho Chi Minh (Vietnam), and Muara (Brunei). The ship is equipped with state-of-the-art marine pollution control equipment and a Chetak Helicopter in a Pollution Response configuration. Demonstrations at visiting ports will include pollution response training and practical displays of various equipment, underscoring the ICG's readiness and capability to tackle marine pollution.
Enhancing bilateral relationships and maritime safety
This visit is a crucial determinant to the bilateral relationships between India and the maritime agencies of the Philippines, Vietnam, and Brunei. The ICG has Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) towards Enhanced Maritime Cooperation and Maritime Safety and Security with the coast guards of the Philippines and Vietnam. These relationships, built over the years, play a crucial role in ensuring the safety, security, and environmental protection in the region.
The agenda for the visit includes professional exchanges, cross-deck visits, joint exercises, as well as official and social engagements, including visits to capacity-building facilities. Such activities are vital for enhancing cooperation, interoperability, and understanding among the maritime forces of the involved countries.
Puneet Sagar Abhiyan: An unternational outreach
Adding a unique dimension to this deployment, ICGS Samudra Paheredar has embarked 25 National Cadet Corps (NCC) cadets to participate in the 'Puneet Sagar Abhiyan'. This initiative aims to give an international outreach to the government's campaign against marine pollution, involving beach clean-up activities and similar efforts during the port calls of the ship. This participation not only enriches the cadets' experiences but also fosters a spirit of international cooperation and environmental stewardship among the youth.
Stationed on the East Coast of India in Vishakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, ICGS Samudra Paheredar is commanded by Deputy Inspector General Sudhir Ravindran. Over the years, the vessel has successfully undertaken various Coast Guard operations, including pollution response, IMBL/EEZ surveillance, counter-transnational crimes, and Maritime Search and Rescue (SAR) missions. India has taken a proactive approach in engaging with ASEAN countries to address dominant challenges in maritime safety, security, and environmental protection with the current deployment.
This visit of ICGS Samudra Paheredar to Manila Bay underlines India's enduring commitment to intertwining maritime cooperation and addressing the challenges of marine pollution in the ASEAN region. It marks another stride towards ensuring the safety and security of the maritime domain, while also protecting our shared marine environment.
This visit is part of the ICG's broader initiative to demonstrate its marine pollution response capabilities and its mutual concern and resolve towards marine pollution in the ASEAN region.
The visit of ICGS Samudra Paheredar to Manila marks the commencement of its overseas deployment mission to key ASEAN countries, including the Philippines, Vietnam, and Brunei, from March 25 to April 12, 2024. This deployment, the third of its kind to the ASEAN region, aims to bolster bilateral cooperation, particularly with the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), and to showcase India's commitment to maritime safety, security, and environmental protection.
During its deployment, Samudra Paheredar will make port calls in Manila (Philippines), Ho Chi Minh (Vietnam), and Muara (Brunei). The ship is equipped with state-of-the-art marine pollution control equipment and a Chetak Helicopter in a Pollution Response configuration. Demonstrations at visiting ports will include pollution response training and practical displays of various equipment, underscoring the ICG's readiness and capability to tackle marine pollution.
Enhancing bilateral relationships and maritime safety
This visit is a crucial determinant to the bilateral relationships between India and the maritime agencies of the Philippines, Vietnam, and Brunei. The ICG has Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) towards Enhanced Maritime Cooperation and Maritime Safety and Security with the coast guards of the Philippines and Vietnam. These relationships, built over the years, play a crucial role in ensuring the safety, security, and environmental protection in the region.
The agenda for the visit includes professional exchanges, cross-deck visits, joint exercises, as well as official and social engagements, including visits to capacity-building facilities. Such activities are vital for enhancing cooperation, interoperability, and understanding among the maritime forces of the involved countries.
Puneet Sagar Abhiyan: An unternational outreach
Adding a unique dimension to this deployment, ICGS Samudra Paheredar has embarked 25 National Cadet Corps (NCC) cadets to participate in the 'Puneet Sagar Abhiyan'. This initiative aims to give an international outreach to the government's campaign against marine pollution, involving beach clean-up activities and similar efforts during the port calls of the ship. This participation not only enriches the cadets' experiences but also fosters a spirit of international cooperation and environmental stewardship among the youth.
Stationed on the East Coast of India in Vishakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, ICGS Samudra Paheredar is commanded by Deputy Inspector General Sudhir Ravindran. Over the years, the vessel has successfully undertaken various Coast Guard operations, including pollution response, IMBL/EEZ surveillance, counter-transnational crimes, and Maritime Search and Rescue (SAR) missions. India has taken a proactive approach in engaging with ASEAN countries to address dominant challenges in maritime safety, security, and environmental protection with the current deployment.
This visit of ICGS Samudra Paheredar to Manila Bay underlines India's enduring commitment to intertwining maritime cooperation and addressing the challenges of marine pollution in the ASEAN region. It marks another stride towards ensuring the safety and security of the maritime domain, while also protecting our shared marine environment.
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