Navy conducts coastal security exercise 'Matla Abhiyaan'

The Indian Navy carried out a five-day coastal security exercise, 'Matla Abhiyaan', with personnel of two naval boats, holding interactions with all stakeholders along the riverine border with Bangladesh, a Defence official said.

The exercise, named after Matla River, aimed to interact with coastal communities to spread awareness on coastal security and understand the navigational complexities in the Sunderban deltaic waters.

During the exercise, the two boats undertook patrol in the Sunderban delta, and along the Indo-Bangladesh protocol route, the official said.

The personnel of the naval boats interacted with the crew of fishing boats, tankers and launches operating in the Matla and Hooghly rivers and the narrow creeks of Sunderbans.

The sailors also interacted with local fishermen to spread awareness on coastal security, and personnel of marine police stations at Maipith, Gobardhanpur and Gosaba enroute to Hemnagar, the official said.

The exercise, that commenced on January 29, was completed on Sunday with the two naval boats returning to Man of War Jetty in the city.