India Takes Act-East Policy To Sea, Sends Naval Ships To Myanmar

New Delhi, in a bid to boost its geopolitical influence in the Bay of Bengal and furthering India’s “Act East Policy”, and “Neighbourhood First Policy”, will send two Indian Naval ships, INS Batti Malv along with an Indian Navy Dornier aircraft to Yangon from 24-26 September, reported Financial Express.

The visit is part of an ongoing bilateral mechanism between India and Myanmar. The ships will be present in the opening ceremony of the seventh Indian Navy-Myanmar Navy Coordinated Patrol, meant to maintain maritime security in the respective maritime boundary and to increase mutual understanding through operational exchange between two navies.

India and Myanmar, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Myanmar in 2017, agreed to closely work in the areas of maritime security, trade and economic cooperation with a port project in western Myanmar. Maritime security and coastal surveillance was one of the 11 Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) inked by both the governments.

Indian embassy, Myanmar, in an official release stated that INS Kulish would be commanded by Cdr Deepak Bali with a crew of over 120 personnel on the Kora Class Guided Missile Corvette. The ship is designed to embark India’s Advanced Light Helicopter, Dhruv.

Lieutenant Commander MC Chandeep will be commanding Fast Attack Craft INS Batti Malv with a crew of over 50 personnel on board the craft. The ship is used for regular patrolling and surveillance in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.