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Indian Coast Guard's Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) ICGS Sujay with an integral helicopter made a port call at Jakarta, Indonesia on Wednesday as a part of its ongoing overseas deployment to East Asia.
This marks a pivotal milestone in diplomatic maritime engagements. During the two-day visit, the crew of ICGS Sujay will engage in professional interactions focusing on Marine Pollution Response (MPR), Maritime Search and Rescue (M-SAR) and Maritime Law Enforcement. Activities include professional interactions with BAKMALA (Indonesia Coast Guard), Cross deck training, joint yoga sessions, friendly sports events and Passage Sea Exercise (PASSEX) with the BAKAMLA. The visit aims not only to strengthen ties between the Indian Coast Guard and their Indonesian counterparts but also to showcase India's shipbuilding capabilities, supporting the concept of "Aatmanirbhar Bharat." The 10 National Cadet Corps (NCC) cadets aboard ICGS Sujay will participate in the Environment Protection Walkathon towards marine plastic pollution in collaboration with local youth organizations, contributing to the GoI initiative "Puneet Sagar Abhiyan" and enhancing international outreach. In a maiden initiative, two women ICG officers embarked on board for the Overseas Deployment will also be representing "Women in Maritime Security and Safety" while interacting and participating in bilateral cooperative engagements. ICG signed a Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) approved Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with BAKAMLA on July 6 2020 towards enhanced maritime cooperation and institutionalized its cooperative engagements. The overseas deployment is in line with the Indian Coast Guard's commitment to fostering bilateral relationships under the ambit of MoU and holds significance in reinforcing bilateral relationships with key maritime agencies, crucial for ensuring the safety, security, and environmental sustainability of the seas in the region, while addressing contemporary maritime challenges. ICGS Sujay's deployment to East Asia reflects India's commitment to fostering warm relations with Indo-Pacific countries, promoting friendly relations through maritime cooperation, aligned with India's maritime vision encapsulated in "SAGAR - Security and Growth for All in the Region" and its policy "Look East and Act East" and Indo Pacific Ocean Initiatives (IPOI). Based on the East Coast of India in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, ICGS Sujay operates under the operational command of Commander Coast Guard Region (East). Equipped with modern weapon systems, advanced sensors, and state-of-the-art navigation and communication systems, including an integral helicopter, Varaha has successfully undertaken various Coast Guard operations, including Coastal Security, IMBL/EEZ surveillance, counter-transnational crimes, and Maritime Search and Rescue (SAR) and Pollution Response operations. (ANI)
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