ICGS Vigraha visits Indonesia, strengthening India-ASEAN maritime ties

During the three-day visit, personnel of the ICG and Indonesian Coast Guard (BAKAMLA) will participate in an extensive programme of activities, including professional interactions, tabletop exercises, shipboard drills and joint training sessions.

The visit underscores the growing centrality of Coast Guard-to-Coast Guard cooperation in promoting maritime safety, security and environmental stewardship in the region.

The engagements are focused on Maritime Law Enforcement, Marine Pollution Response and Maritime Search and Rescue areas where both organisations share significant operational responsibilities owing to their large Exclusive Economic Zones and heavy maritime traffic.

Joint activities will strengthen interoperability in handling incidents related to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, piracy, trafficking, maritime accidents and environmental hazards. A Passage Exercise (PASSEX) will be organised to further enhance operational cohesion, communication procedures, and seamanship coordination between the two services.

The current visit also includes courtesy calls, ship visits, yoga & sports activities and professional exchanges at maritime training establishments.

These interactions will strengthen people-to-people ties and build camaraderie among personnel, an essential foundation for effective operational cooperation.

"India and Indonesia, both leading maritime democracies, are committed to upholding a Rules-Based International Order (RBIO) in the Indo-Pacific. Cooperative Coast Guard engagement plays a vital role in translating this principle into practical action through routine maritime enforcement, joint response mechanisms and coordinated surveillance of strategic sea lanes," read a statement issued by the Indian government.

A major pillar of India-Indonesia maritime partnership is the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the ICG and BAKAMLA in July 2020.