Indian Navy to hold exercises with Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Australia

Singapore: The Indian Navy will hold bilateral exercises with Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Australia after completing a maritime exercise with Singapore.[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="266"] Representational image. AFP.[/caption]The Navy is currently taking part in the annual Singapore India Maritime Bilateral Exercise 2017 (SIMBEX-17) with the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) which will be completed on 24 May."After we conclude SINBEX with RSN, we will set course for further interaction for Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Australia before returning home," said Rear Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta, Flag Officer, Commanding Eastern Fleet.lndian Naval Ships (INS) Shivalik, Sahyadri, Jyoti and Kamorta and one P8-I Maritime Patrol and Anti-Submarine Warfare Aircraft are participating in SIMBEX-17.INS Jyoti and Shivalik completed their naval exercise with the Royal Malaysian Navy Friday and will join INS Sahyadri and Kamorta for the second phase of SIMBEX-17."Our presence in this region is a manifestation of growing engagement with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the maritime nations of the Western Pacific in furtherance of our diplomatic initiative," Dasgupta said."Constructive engagement between navies has always been a preferred method of military engagement between friendly nations," he said last night at a reception hosted on board Sahyadri and Kamorta, both docked alongside at the Changi Naval Base.The Indian Navy has once again reaffirmed the strategic partnership between India and Singapore, and reiterated its commitment to maritime security, stability and peace in this region, added India’s High Commissioner to Singapore, Jawed Ashraf.