Indian Coast Guard Ship Sankalp is on a three-day visit to Singapore during which it will hold exercises with the counterpart maritime force here.
The visit of ICGS Sankalp, led by Commanding Officer DIG Maneesh Pathak, is the seventh naval and Coast Guard ships to visit Singapore this year, reflecting on the growing defence ties between India and Singapore, said High Commissioner of India, Vijay Thakur Singh during a reception on board the ship last night.
Speaking at the reception, DIG Pathak underlined the importance of growing interactions between India and Singapore defense sectors.
"India and Singapore, both being maritime nations, have always been sharing strong relations not only through trade and commerce activities but also through a very common objective, that is, to ensure safety and security of seafarers," said DIG Pathak.
"Our interactions at various levels in terms of exercises cross training and other bilateral activities have provided a raised platform in learning from each other and understanding of standard operation procedures of forces of both the nations," he said.
"Visit of ICGS Sankalp also aims towards this. I am sure our relations will ensure that our seas become safer and cleaner for future generations," said DIG Pathak as he welcomed the High Commissioner Singh, Colonel Steven Tan, the Commander of Singapore's Comprehensive Maritime Awareness Group, and over 200 Indian business and local community leaders at the reception.
As a gesture of reaching out to Indians working abroad, DIG Pathak also hosted lunch on ICGS Sankalp for 10 Indian nationals working in Singapore construction sector.
ICGS Sankalp, with a compliment of 10 officers and 96 men, is in Singapore from November 23-26. It would undertake a 5-day visit to Darwin in Australia and tour Jakarta from December 17-20 before returning to Port Blaire on Dec 23.
