The maiden Indo-Bangla joint table top exercise started yesterday at Coast Guard Regional headquater (NE), Kolkata. The exercise was aimed at bolstering Indo-Bangla joint search and rescue operations in the Bay of Bengal.
IG Kuldip Singh Sheoran, the Coast Guard Regional Commander(NE) said, “The Bay of Bengal is a hotspot of maritime trade and ships of both countries remain at risk because of cyclones in the region. A strong SAR setup is the need for the hour”
The two day exercise will take the participants through a dummy Mass Rescue Operation in the bay. Also, SAR at sea is a complex mechanism involving many stake holders and Foreign Nations. From rescue to medical aid, from Media Management to Immigration and inter stake holder joint operation challenges, this exercise will give the participants a real feel of the problems involved.
The Indian Coast Guard and the Bangladesh Coast Guard had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in 2015 and established Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) in April 2017. Several high level diplomatic visits of DG Indian Coast Guard and Bangladesh Coast Guard have also taken place in last few years.
“The iconic Indo Bangla SAR operation in August 2016 where more than 300 lives were saved, showcases the synergy and co-ordination of both the forces,” said the Commander, Mohammad Radwan of Bangladesh Coast Guard.