New Delhi, Nov 15 — The Harbour Phase of the eighth edition of the India-Myanmar Naval Exercise (IMNEX-26) culminated at Visakhapatnam, the Indian Navy said on Sunday.
“Forging Stronger Maritime Bonds! The Harbour Phase of the 8th edition of India-Myanmar Naval Exercise IMNEX26 culminated at Visakhapatnam following Subject Matter Expert Exchanges, cross-deck visits, senior leadership engagements and sporting activities,” the Indian Navy posted on X.
Earlier this month, Indian and Myanmarese defence personnel participated in the inaugural bilateral tri-services Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Exercise Rahat Mitra in Chennai.
Personnel from the Indian Navy, the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force, along with a delegation from the Myanmar Defence Forces, participated in the two-day exercise, held on November 5-6, to enhance operational interoperability, improve coordination and facilitate the exchange of best practices in disaster response operations, according to the Defence Ministry.
“Exercise ‘RAHAT MITRA’ provided an important platform for the Defence Forces of both countries to exchange operational experiences, share Best Practices and enhance mutual understanding in planning and executing HADR operations. The exercise also facilitated familiarisation with each other’s capabilities and procedures, contributing to improved coordination during disaster response operations,” the Ministry of Defence (MoD) had said in a statement.
In May, the then Indian Navy chief, Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, visited Myanmar and met Myanmar Navy’s Central Naval Command chief Rear Admiral Aung Aung Naing and Training Command chief, Rear Admiral Khun Aung Kyaw, and discussed issues related to strengthening navy-to-navy cooperation, bolstering the existing defence partnership, and augmenting operational engagements.
Admiral Tripathi had also handed over various projects executed with Indian assistance, including the Containerised Small Arms Simulator and the Rigid Inflatable Boat, for augmentation of maritime security in the Bay of Bengal region, in keeping with the vision of MAHASAGAR.
“The Indian Navy regularly interacts with the Myanmar Navy through Defence Cooperation Meeting, Staff Talks, Training exchanges and operational interactions including India - Myanmar Naval Exercise (IMNEX), Indo-Myanmar Coordinated Patrol (IMCOR), port visits and Hydrography surveys,” the MoD had said in a statement.