Bongosagar exercise: India, B'desh hold second edition of naval drills in Bay of Bengal

On October 3, Indian Navy (IN)-Bangladesh Navy (BN) held its second edition of the bilateral naval exercise Bongosagar in the northern Bay of Bengal. Indian Navy ships Kiltan, Khukri and Bangladesh Navy ships Abu Bakr, Prottoy, and Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) undertook the surface warfare drills, helo operations, seamanship evolutions and other manoeuvres to strengthen the inter-operability and military cooperation between the two South Asian neighbours. 

India-Bangladesh naval forces will also undergo the third edition of Coordinated Patrol CORPAT along with International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) on October 4, according to an ANI report. The military edition of Bongosagar and IN-BN CORPAT are relevant to the 100th birth anniversary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman during the Mujib Basho. In the third edition, India and Bangladesh will undertake joint patrolling along the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) with the maritime patrol aircraft and helicopters. The Exercise Bongosagar and IN - BN CORPAT reflects the priority Indian Navy accords to Bangladesh Navy as part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of SAGAR (Security And Growth for All in the Region), a press release issued by the Ministry of Defence said.

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Maritime Patrol Aircraft participate

“Indian Naval Ship (INS) Kiltan, an indigenously built Anti-Submarine Warfare Corvette and INS Khukri, an indigenously built Guided-Missile Corvette are participating along with Bangladesh Naval Ship (BNS) Abu Bakr, a Guided-Missile Frigate and BNS Prottoy, a Guided-Missile Corvette," an official statement of the naval forces read. “In addition to ships, Maritime Patrol Aircraft from both navies and integral helicopter(s) would also be participating in the exercise,” it added. Bongosagar and IN- BN CORPAT will be stretched over a period of three days aimed to bolster the two nations’ joint military operational skills. 

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(With Image and Input From ANI)