India, Bangladesh hold naval exercise ‘Bongosagar’

• The third edition of ‘Bongosagar’ exercise between navies of India and Bangladesh is being held at Port Mongla, Bangladesh. The harbour phase of the exercise will be followed by a sea phase in the Northern Bay of Bengal. 

• Exercise Bongosagar was first held in 2019.

• The exercise is aimed at developing a high degree of interoperability and joint operational skills through the conduct of a wide spectrum of maritime exercises and operations between the two navies.

• Indian Naval Ships Kora, an indigenously built Guided Missile Corvette, and Sumedha, an indigenously built Offshore Patrol Vessel are participating in the exercise. 

• Bangladesh Navy is being represented by BNS Abu Ubaidah and Ali Haider, both Guided Missile Frigates. 

• The sea phase of the exercise would facilitate ships from both the navies to participate in intensive surface warfare drills, weapon firing drills, seamanship evolutions and coordinated air operations in a tactical scenario.

• Earlier this week, navies of India and Bangladesh conducted a two-day coordinated patrol in the northern Bay of Bengal in reflection of their growing cooperation to ensure maritime security in the region.

• The last such patrolling was conducted in October 2020.

• The regular conduct of coordinated patrol has strengthened mutual understanding and enhanced interoperability between both the navies in countering transnational maritime threats at sea.

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