Philippine Coast Guard's delegation visits Indian Coast Guard in Goa for bilateral meet

A five-member delegation of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Monday visited Goa for a bilateral meeting with the Indian Coast Guard (ICG), a senior official said. The delegation led by CG Admiral Artemio Manalo Abu, Commandant Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) visited Headquarters Coast Guard District no-11, Goa, where they met senior ICG officials and toured ICG facilities including the frontline offshore patrol vessel, ICGS Sujeet, the official said.

The delegation witnessed Indian shipbuilding expertise at Goa Shipyard Limited in Vasco town and aerospace industry capabilities, which included a customer demonstration flight (CDF) on the ALH MK3 helicopter by HAL, he said. The ALH MK3 is a multirole helicopter capable of performing a variety of missions, including search and rescue, anti-submarine warfare, and maritime surveillance, he said.

CG Adm Artemio M Abu, Commandant #Philippine Coast Guard #PCG visited Goa Shipyard Limited #GSL to see the #Indian shipbuilding industry and @IndiaCoastGuard ship production.@coastguardph pic.twitter.com/4aK7rX4q8X

— Indian Coast Guard (@IndiaCoastGuard) August 21, 2023

“The delegation visited the Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL), which is one of India's leading shipbuilding companies. The GSL is currently building a number of ships for the ICG and Navy. The PCG is also looking to acquire new assets and technologies to improve its maritime capabilities,” the official said.

The visit is a significant milestone in the Philippines cooperation with India, and is expected to further strengthen the maritime ties of the two countries and promote regional cooperation signalling a significant step forward in their bilateral relationship, the official added.