Visakhapatnam: The first ever Indo-Vietnam Coast Guard joint exercise called ‘Sahyog HOP TAC -2018’ was held in the Bay of Bengal off Chennai on Thursday, between Indian and Vietnam Coast Guards (VGC).
Three Indian Coast Guard ships namely Shaurya, Arnvesh and C-431, one Vietnam Coast Guard ship CSB 8001 and one Dornier aircraft and one Chetak helicopter each participated in the exercise.
NIOT Vessel Sagar Manjusha also participated in the exercise, being a stakeholder of the Search and Rescue (SAR) organisation.
The exercise focussed on acquainting the Coast Guards with each other’s capabilities and strengthening their working-level relationship to rescue lives at sea and further refine joint operation procedures.
The highlights of the exercise took into account the scenario of the hijacking of an oil tanker and the subsequent rescue of its crew, in a coordinated anti-piracy joint operation of both the countries and preventive efforts for marine environment protection.
Interdiction of the pirated vessel, coordinated joint boarding operation, SAR demonstration and external fire-fighting to salvage burning ships were the other aspects of the joint exercise.
The coordinated joint exercise was witnessed by the Ambassador to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, His Excellency Pham Sanh Chau, Major General Nguyen Van Son, Commandant, Vietnam Coast Guard and additional director general K.R. Nautiyal, Coast Guard Commander (Eastern Seaboard).
