Bangladesh-India holds joint naval patrol at Bay of Bengal

The naval forces of Bangladesh and India held a joint patrol exercise, namely the Coordinated Patrol (Corpat), in the Bay of Bengal.

Under the supervision of Commander Flotilla West, the joint patrol was kicked off on Sunday to ensure the security of the maritime boundaries of the neighbouring countries, said an ISPR release. 

They will also hold a bilateral naval exercise Bongosagar in the Bay of Bengal on 26-27 May aimed at developing interoperability and joint operational skills through maritime operations. 

Indian warships -- INS Kora and INS Sumedha— and Bangladeshi warships --BNS Ali Haider and BNS Abu Ubaidah—took part in the joint patrol.

In addition to ships, maritime patrol aircraft from both navies and integral helicopters joined the patrol exercise.

After concluding the joint patrol, the two Indian warships reached Mongla Port jetty on Tuesday. The Commander of BNS Mongla Naval Base welcomed the two warships and their officials at the port. 

As part of the goodwill visit, officers and crew members of the two Indian ships will also participate in various events organised by the Bangladesh Navy.

The joint exercise will hopefully play a more effective role in regional maritime security, maritime security risk mitigation and maritime economic development.

The two neighbouring countries have been conducting joint patrols since 2018 to ensure the security of the maritime boundaries of their respective countries.

After joining the bilateral exercise, the Indian warships will leave Bangladesh for home on 27 May.