The maiden ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise (AIME) has begun in the South China Sea with Indian naval ships Satpura and Delhi participating, along with ships from ASEAN countries.
he exercise aims to provide an opportunity for Indian Navy and ASEAN navies to work together closely and conduct seamless operations in the maritime domain. The ‘Harbour Phase’ of the exercise is scheduled to be held at Changi Naval Base from May 2-4, followed by the ‘Sea Phase’ from May 7-8 in the South China Sea.
In addition to the exercise, Navy Chief Adm. R. Hari Kumar is in Singapore for the International Maritime Defence Exhibition (IMDEX-23) and International Maritime Security Conference (IMSC) being hosted by Singapore. Meanwhile, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is on a three-day visit to Maldives, during which he will review the entire gamut of defence relations between the two countries and gift one Fast Patrol Vessel ship and a Landing Craft to the Maldives National Defence Forces.
The two countries are working closely to address shared challenges, including maritime security, terrorism, piracy, trafficking, organised crime and natural disasters.