NE NEWS SERVICE
CHENNAI, JAN 12
The Indian Coast Guard and Japan Coast Guard ships conducted a five-day joint exercise off the coast of Chennai from January 8-12.
Exercise “Sahyog-Kaijin” between @IndiaCoastGuard & Japan Coast Guard conducted off #Chennai today. #JCG Ship Yashima & #ICG assets (09 ships, 06 aircraft) from Eastern Region participated & carried out joint operations like Search & Rescue, Pollution Response and Fire Fighting. pic.twitter.com/2CyLDjiRak
— Indian Coast Guard (@IndiaCoastGuard) January 12, 2024
The exercise was held as per the Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) signed between India and Japan in 2006, wherein both countries agreed to promote interaction between the two Coast Guard organisations, including high-level visits, annual joint exercises, training exchanges and participation in short-term workshops and seminars.
Joint Table Top Exercise conducted between @IndiaCoastGuard & Japan Coast Guard at Regional HQ (East), #Chennai today. The exercise aimed at enhancing Cooperation in dealing with maritime incidents & validating common SOPs.@giridhararamane @JCG_koho pic.twitter.com/Ik7cYqwlIh
— Indian Coast Guard (@IndiaCoastGuard) January 11, 2024
In continuance of this ongoing cooperation, Japan Coast Guard Ship ‘Yashima” had arrived Chennai on 10 Jan 24 on a four–day goodwill visit. The ship participated in Annual Joint Exercise on 12 Jan 2024 in which nine ships and six aircraft of Indian Coast Guard also participated. This is the 20th such exercise being conducted between the two Coast Guards since its institution in the year 2000. This Joint Exercise was coordinated by Headquarters, Coast Guard Region (East) headed by Inspector General Donny Michael, TM.
During the joint exercise, various evolutions were undertaken by ships as per Coast Guard charter of duties such as Search and Rescue, Pollution Response, external fire fighting, boarding operations and high speed interdiction etc. The highlight of the exercise was the usage of remotely operated Lifebouy for rescuing persons at sea during mass rescue operation. Various other types of seamanship evolutions and manoeuvring exercises were also conducted to streamline joint procedures towards further improving interoperability between the two Coast Guards. The exercise further aimed to strengthen ties and mutual understanding between the two maritime agencies, validating strengthening Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and sharing of best practices.
The joint exercise will strengthen the existing bilateral relationship, which will enable both the Coast Guards to work together to protect shared interests if such need arises, whether it is responding to threat from piracy, Search and Rescue (SAR) or protection of Marine Environment.
A joint press conference was also held towards the end of exercise in which Inspector General Donny Michael, Commander Coast Guard Region (East) and representative from Japan Coast Guard addressed the media. Speaking on the occasion, IG Donny Michael, gave a historic background about commencement of such bilateral exercises between India and Japan. The Regional Commander also gave an outline of how these exercises have evolved over a period of time with changes in technology and appearance of unmanned systems.
Addressing the gathering, the representative from Japan Coast Guard laid emphasis on mutual cooperation between India and Japan and various takeaways during such joint evolutions which are beneficial to both organizations.
At the helm of the Japan Coast Guard ship is the Commanding Officer, Captain Yuichi Motoyama who is assisted by a team of professional and highly motivated men and women of the Japan Coast Guard. The ship is scheduled to leave Chennai harbour on Sunday, 14 Jan 2024.
