Singapore in first joint naval exercise with India and Thailand

Exercise planning in progress between the Singapore, Indian and Thai navies during the shore phase of the joint maritime exercise in Port Blair, India. PHOTO: MINDEF

SINGAPORE — The first joint maritime exercise by the navies of Singapore, India and Thailand began in Port Blair, India, on Monday.

Singapore’s Defense Ministry said it will last five days and involve five ships from the three nations and more than 500 participants.

The exercise comprises a shore phase at Port Blair that involves planning and professional exchanges, and a sea phase starting tomorrow, during which the navies will carry out manoeuvring, navigation, gunnery drills and boarding operations in the Andaman Sea.

The Defense Ministry said the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) is taking part with the Formidable-class frigate, RSS Tenacious.

At the opening ceremony in Port Blair, the RSN ship’s commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Michael Chan, said the exercise underscores the responsibility of countries to collaborate to keep sea lines of communication open as well as strengthens the ability of the three navies to work together.

The joint exercise also reaffirms the longstanding defence ties among Singapore, India and Thailand, the ministry added.

The drill was announced in June last year by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his keynote address at the 14th Shangri-La Dialogue, an annual defence forum whose participants include defence ministers, senior defence officials and academics. Mr Modi had said India would start a new trilateral exercise with Singapore, in the hope that it would be extended to other Asean countries.

The Singapore and Indian navies interact regularly through a range of activities, including staff talks and training courses. The 26th edition of the Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercise concluded in May this year.