The Australian Border Force (ABF) has hailed the joint exercises with the Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Shaurya as a ‘huge success’.
The four-day visit of the ICGS Shaurya (meaning: courage) ‘saw an unprecedented level of collaboration between the two maritime security agencies,’ the ABF said.
ICGS Shaurya arrived with 110 officers and crew on Tuesday.
The officers and crew engaged in a wide range of exercises, activities and information sharing with ABF officers from Maritime Border Command (MBC) and Northern Command.
Along with a number of tactical exercises, Shaurya crew members were also given tours of the ABF airborne surveillance assets at Cobham Aviation and the Cape Class patrol boat Cape St George.
Commander MBC, Rear Admiral Lee Goddard, CSC RAN, described the visit as a significant success which they said laid the foundation for much stronger operational engagement between the two agencies in the future.
“The level of positive engagement between ABF and ICG officers this week has exceeded expectations on many levels,” RADM Goddard said.
“From a tactical and operational level, these relationship-building exercises will assist both agencies in their common goal of providing safety and security across our maritime domain.”
The two teams also took some time off for a barbeque and a cricket match.
The two teams also took some time off for a barbeque and a cricket match. Source: Australian Border Force
“Away from the serious business of maritime security and safety, strong personal relationships were also forged between ABF and ICG officers, highlighted by an Aussie style barbeque and cricket match yesterday afternoon,” the ABF said in a release.
The ICGS Shaurya and crew departed Darwin on Friday morning.
Defence Minister Linda Reynolds recently announced Australia’s intentions to deepen defence ties with India.
In her speech to the WA Indo-Pacific Conference in Perth in August this year, Senator Reynolds said both the United States and Australia had agreed to strengthen defence ties with India.
She also said Australia’s relationship with India had ‘flourished’ in the last decade.
“In 2014 we conducted 11 defence activities together. By 2018 this had more than tripled to 38 bilateral activities,” she said.
“The scale and complexity of this year’s bilateral navy exercise AUSINDEX saw the largest Australian task group ever sent to India.
“There is scope to further increase the depth and complexity of our co-operation both on land, at sea and in the air.”
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