Vietnam Coast Guard ship makes first visit to India

By Phan Anh   October 3, 2018 | 12:56 am PT
Vietnam Coast Guard ship makes first visit to India
Ship CBS 8001 docks at Chennai port, India. Photo courtesy of the People's Army Newspaper
A Vietnam Coast Guard ship began its maiden visit to India Tuesday, aiming to strengthen cooperation in addressing maritime security threats.

The CBS 8001 reached the coast of Chennai City after traveling 3,575 nautical miles from Hanoi, the New Indian Express reported.

Major-General Nguyen Van Son, Commandant of Vietnam Coast Guard, and Inspector-General Paramesh Sivamani, Commander of India’s Coast Guard Eastern Region, welcomed the ship and its crew.

The four-day maiden visit aims to strengthen cooperation between the two countries, particularly in tackling maritime security threats, including human trafficking, piracy and drugs and firearms smuggling, the report said.

The two countries’ Coast Guards will take part in a joint exercise off Chennai Thursday to promote inter-operability between the two forces.

Five ships, one helicopter and one Dornier aircraft from the Indian Coast Guard will participate in the exercise, which will include the visiting Vietnamese Coast Guard ship and the research vessel Sagar Manjusha from India’s National Institute of Ocean Technology.

Previously on Monday, a six-member delegation from Vietnam, headed by Son, had arrived in Chennai to witness the upcoming joint exercise.

Last Thursday, Destroyer INS Rana of the Indian navy docked at Saigon Port for a three-day visit. The vessel carried out communications and coordination exercises at sea with Vietnamese naval vessels during its stay.

This is the second time this year that the Indian navy has sent a vessel to Vietnam after a fleet of three Indian ships with 900 officers and sailors arrived at Tien Sa Port, Da Nang, in central Vietnam in May.

Long-standing allies Vietnam and India established diplomatic relations in 1972.

 
 
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