India set to participate in multinational exercise in South China Sea

India is set to participate in a multinational maritime exercise in the strategically important South China Sea, which will have the US, Japan, Russia, Australia and China along with other countries as participants.

The participants of the exercise, to be held in Brunei, include Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Myanmar and South Korea. It is being held at the South China Sea.

An official statement said it is part of the Indian Navy's endeavour to "enhance maritime security in the Indo-Pacific".

The exercise is a multinational exercise on maritime security and counterterrorism under the aegis of ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting Plus, or ADMM Plus consortium.

The current edition will commence at Brunei and culminate at Singapore, with various drills and exercises in the South China Sea.

"Indian Navy and the navies of ASEAN countries have a mutual interest in

promoting peace and prosperity in the Indian Ocean and the Western Pacific, given our shared maritime security interests," the statement said.

The statement added the exercise is aimed at enhancing mutual understanding with respect to maritime security issues and streamlining drills on counter-terrorism operations at sea.

INS Airavat, amphibious warship, arrived at Brunei on Sunday.

The exercise will conclude on May 9.

The ship which has been indigenously designed and developed, was inducted in Indian Navy in 2009, and has a lift capability of 500 troops, 10 tanks and 11 Combat Trucks, which allows her to be effectively tasked for a variety of missions ranging from amphibious operations to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR).

The ship also has an integral helicopter.

India has been a regular participant in maritime exercises conducted by the ADMM countries.

--IANS

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