INDIAN NAVAL SHIPS ARRIVE AT SINGAPORE AS PART OF EASTERN FLEET DEPLOYMENT TO SOUTH CHINA SEA

Three Indian Naval Ships - INS Delhi, INS Shakti and INS Kiltan - led by Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet, RAdm Rajesh Dhankhar, on the way to South China Sea (SCS), arrived at Singapore.

The three Indian Naval Ships were welcomed by personnel of the Republic of Singapore Navy and the High Commissioner of India in Singapore.

What 3 Indian Navy ships are doing in Singapore?

The visit of INS Delhi, INS Shakti and INS Kiltan is part of the Operational Deployment of the Indian Navy's Eastern Fleet to the South China Sea.

The deployment underscores the strong linkages between both the Indian Navy and the Republic of Singapore Navy.

During the ships' stay in harbour, various activities are planned including interactions with the High Commission of India, professional interactions with the Republic of Singapore Navy as also academia and community outreach amongst other activities, reflecting the shared values of both navies.

How do Indian ships visiting Singapore help?

The visit of three Indian Naval ships is poised to further strengthen the longstanding friendship and cooperation between India and Singapore, the two maritime nations, through a series of engagements and activities.

The Indian Navy and the Republic of Singapore Navy have had robust relations spanning three decades of cooperation, coordination and collaboration with regular visits, exchange of best practices, and reciprocal training arrangements.

The South China Sea has been witnessing military assertiveness by China in the last few years. It has become one of many flashpoints in the testy relationship between China and the United States, with Washington rejecting what it calls unlawful territorial claims by Beijing in the resource-rich waters.

In 2021, a report by Reuters said, India sent a naval task force to the South China Sea in August of that year to expand security ties with friendly countries. The move was seen as India's intent to play a bigger role in regional efforts to counter China.

The report mentioned the Indian Navy saying in the statement that four ships including a guided missile destroyer and a missile frigate would be deployed for a two-month period to southeast Asia, the South China Sea and the western Pacific.

The report further said that the mood of the Indian navy has hardened following the clashes between Indian and Chinese militaries in Galwan in East Ladakh in 2020.

With inputs from agencies

2024-05-07T08:39:52Z dg43tfdfdgfd