Indian, Thai navies conduct 35th edition of CORPAT

• The Indian and Thai navies carried out an eight-day coordinated patrol in the Andaman Sea.

• The Indian Navy's indigenously built ship (INS) Kesari and Thailand’s Chao Phraya class frigate Saiburi, along with maritime patrol aircraft from both sides, participated in the coordinated patrol (CORPAT) that concluded on May 10. 

• The two navies have been bi-annually undertaking CORPAT along their international maritime boundary line (IMBL) since 2005 with an aim to keep the vital part of the Indian Ocean safe and secure for global trade.

• The CORPAT builds up understanding and interoperability between navies and facilitates instituting measures to prevent and suppress unlawful activities like illegal unreported unregulated fishing, drug trafficking, piracy and armed robbery. 

• It further helps enhance the operational synergy by exchanging information for the prevention of smuggling, and illegal immigration and for the conduct of search and rescue operations at sea.

• The Indian Navy has been proactively engaging with the countries in the Indian Ocean Region towards enhancing regional maritime security as part of the government’s vision of SAGAR (Security And Growth for All in the Region). 

• This has been achieved through bilateral and multilateral exercises, coordinated patrols, joint EEZ surveillance, and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations.

What is SAGAR policy?

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi introduced the concept of SAGAR — ‘Security and Growth for All in the Region’ during his visit to Mauritius in March 2015.

• It is a high-level articulation of India’s vision for the Indian Ocean. SAGAR has distinct but inter-related elements and underscores India’s engagement in the Indian Ocean. 

• The principles enshrined in SAGAR provide a coherent framework to address some of the challenges related to economic revival, connectivity, security, culture and identity. 

• During his address in Maldives Parliament in June 2019, Modi said SAGAR is also a blueprint for cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.  

• Under the broad vision of SAGAR, relations have been augmented with partners in the region in defence and security, development partnership, training and capacity building. The Indian Ocean Region received priority in COVID assistance.

Key features of SAGAR:

i) Enhancing capacities to safeguard land and maritime territories and interests. 

ii) Deepening economic and security cooperation in the littoral.

iii) Promoting collective action to deal with natural disasters and maritime threats like piracy, terrorism and emergent non-state actors.

iv) Working towards sustainable regional development through enhanced collaboration.

v) Engaging with countries beyond shores with the aim of building greater trust and promoting respect for maritime rules, norms and peaceful resolution of disputes.

• The ‘Blue Economy’ has emerged as a promising new pillar of prosperity in the region, with immense economic and employment potential. India is engaging with its neighbours in Blue Economy initiatives, particularly in the areas of marine bio-technology, exploration and sustainable exploitation of ocean mineral resources, sustainable fishing practices, and harnessing of ocean energy.

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