According to official sources, from 23rd to 24th November 2021, along with the Dornier Maritime Patrol Aircraft, the Indian naval ship INS Khanjar which is an indigenous built missile corvette undertook a coordinated patrol with the Indonesian Naval ship KRI Thaha Sultan Syaifuddin (376), which is a Kapitan Patimura-Class Corvette.
The participation of Maritime Patrol Aircraft from both Nations shall be witnessed by the 37th edition of CORPAT between India and Indonesia while in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, the exercise is being conducted as a non-contact, “at sea only” and highlights the mutual trust, synergy and cooperation between the two friendly Navies.
All about INS Khanjar
Wait by Garden Reach shipbuilders and engineers Limited Kolkata INS Khanjar is an indigenous built missile corvette which was been commissioned into the Indian Navy on 27th October 1991 and is the fourth in the series of indigenously built missile corvettes apart from this the ship has been cutting edge of the Eastern fleet and bears accrued of around 14 officers and 147 sailors. Countering piracy, protection of India’s vast Maritime exclusive zone and Counter-Terrorism operation along with Maritime diplomacy is what the ship’s role is while the design and features of the ship enable it to operate in the higher-risk environment.
Earlier this year, INS Khanjar became the first Indian Navy ship to call at the heritage coastal port of Gopalpur in Odisha. Enhancing ties and spreading awareness with the local populations on the aspects of coastal security and Maritime operations was the aim of the maiden visit of the naval ship while on the other hand, aspects related to the berthing facilities for OTR of Naval ships and security overview of Port infrastructure was discussed with the port officials during an interaction with the ship’s officers, as per official reports.
What is a corvette ship?
Traditionally, a corvette is the smallest class of vessel which is considered as a proper warship or a “small warship”. A frigate stands at a higher position than the above-cited warship class while the class below was historically that of the sloop-of-war.
Fast attack craft, coastal patrol craft and missile boats are the modern types of ships that stand below a corvette while in modern terms, although recent designs may approach 3,000 tons, making them considerable for a small frigate, a corvette is typically between 500 tons and 2,000 tons.
CORPAT and IMBL
As per sources, with an aim of keeping this vital part of the Indian Ocean Region safe and secure for the conduct of legitimate maritime activities, commercial shipping and international trade, since the year 2002, Coordinated Patrols (CORPAT) along the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) twice in a year have been carried out by India and Indonesia.
Along with facilitating the institution of measures to prevent and suppress Illegal Unreported Unregulated (IUU) fishing, maritime terrorism, trafficking, drug, piracy and armed robbery, CORPATs help build understanding and interoperability between navies.
Ongoing status
Indian Navy has been proactively engaging with the countries in the Indian Ocean Region, As part of the Government of India’s vision of SAGAR (Security And Growth for All in the Region). Covering a wide spectrum of activities and interactions, a close and friendly relationship has been traditionally enjoyed by India and Indonesia, which have strengthened and institutionalised over the years.
With frequent port visits, bilateral exercises and training exchanges, the Maritime interactions have been growing steadily between the two navies.
However, along with forging strong bonds of friendship across the Indo Pacific, the 37th edition of INDIA-INDO CORPAT seeks to bolster the maritime cooperation between the two navies.