As part of Indian Navy’s deployment to Association of South East Asian Nations(ASEAN)countries, Indian naval ship Satpura arrived at Makassar, Indonesia on Sunday to participate in the fourth edition of the Multilateral Naval Exercise KOMODO (MNEK-23) scheduled from Monday to Thursday, navy officials said here on Monday.
They said the Indian ship also represented the Indian Navy at the International Fleet Review (IFR) reviewed by President of Indonesia Joko Widodo on Monday.
During the harbour phase of the visit, INS Satpura will participate in the International Maritime Security Symposium, City Parade, cultural programmes and band performances. INS Satpura is also scheduled to participate in a multilateral maritime exercise on June eight. ASEAN is at the core of India’s Indo-Pacific policy as enunciated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Indian Navy’s regular participation in the MNEK series of exercises is a reaffirmation of India’s commitment to “Act East” in its endeavour to ensure “Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR)”.
INS Satpura, an indigenously designed and built multipurpose stealth frigate, is a part of the Eastern Fleet. The ship is equipped with a versatile array of weapons and sensors and capable of embarking two multi-role helicopters.
The ship is currently mission deployed in South East Asia and participated in the inaugural edition of the ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise (AIME-23) from 02-08 May 23, which witnessed participation by all ASEAN navies.
In a related development, Indian Navy Divers and Marine Commandos are in Maldives for the sixth edition of Exercise Ekatha with Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) from June four to July three. The annual exercise is conducted between the two forces to enhance interoperability in Diving and Special Operations.