Indian Navy & Vietnam People’s Navy undertook a Passage Exercise (PASSEX) 2020 in the South China Sea from December 26-27, 2020 to boost maritime cooperation between the two countries.
On December 25, 2020 Indian Naval Ship (INS) Kiltan carrying 15 tonnes of Humanitarian Assistance & Disaster Relief (HADR) reached NhaRong Port, Ho Chi Minh City as part of Mission Sagar-III. The relief materials are for the flood-affected people of Central Vietnam.
PASSEX:
i.A PASSEX exercise is usually carried out between 2 navies to ensure that they are able to communicate & cooperate in times of war or humanitarian relief.
ii.Some common drills carried out during a Passage exercise are flashing light drills, semaphore drills & flaghoist drills.
iii.The exercise between India & Vietnam in the South China Sea assumes significance due to China’s aggressive maneuvers in the region.
Mission Sagar-III to Vietnam:
i.The 15-tonnes of relief materials were handed over to Vietnam’s Central Steering Committee for national disaster prevention & control.
ii.Central Vietnam had faced severe floods during October-November, 2020, it had claimed the lives of 230 people.
iii.Mission Sagar-III is part of Government of India’s Mission Sagar(Security and Growth for All in the Region).
iv.INS Kiltan (P30) is an anti-submarine warfare corvette of Indian Navy.
Mission Sagar:
i.SAGAR’s main intention is to make India as a dependable partner for its neighbors & Indian Navy as Preferred Security Partner & First Responder.
ii.The Mission also highlights the importance accorded to ASEAN countries by India.
iii.On November 2, 2020, Indian Naval Ship (INS) Airavat entered Port Sudan with 100 Tonnes of Food aid as part of Mission Sagar-II.
iv.In November, INS Airavat arrived at Port of Mombasa, Kenya, carrying food aid for the people of South Sudan.
Recent Related News:
i.On May 10, 2020, the government of India (GOI) has initiated a “Mission Sagar” as a part of their efforts to send medical aid to five Island nations in the Indian Ocean amid COVID-19 pandemic.
About Vietnam:
Prime Minister– Nguyen Xuan Phuc
Capital– Hanoi
Currency– Vietnamese dong
About Indian Navy:
Chief of Naval Staff (CNS)– Admiral Karambir Singh
Integrated Headquarters of Ministry of Defence (Navy)– New Delhi
