Flottila of Indian Eastern Fleet moves for deployment In disputed Sea
Led by Eastern Fleet Commander Rear Admiral (RAdm) Rajesh Dhankhar, a flottila of Indian Naval Ships Delhi, Shakti, and Kiltan reached the Changi naval base in the city-state on Monday, the Indian Navy spokesperson said in a post.
The three ships will leave Singapore for Malaysia on Thursday and then visit the Philippines.
A flottila comprising three Indian Naval Ships of Eastern Naval Fleet of India have arrived in Singapore for a three-day visit as part of the operational deployment of the Navy’s Eastern Fleet to the West Philippines Sea and Natuna Sea underscoring the strong linkages between both navies.
Led by the Eastern Fleet Commander Rear Admiral (RAdm) Rajesh Dhankhar himself, a flottila of Indian Naval Ships, INS Delhi a 7000t destroyer, INS Shakti a oil tanker, and INS Kiltan an anti submarine Corvette reached the Changi naval base in the city-state on Monday, the Indian Navy spokesperson said in a post on X.
The three ships will leave for Malaysia on Thursday and then visit the Philippines.
The visit is part of the “Op Deployment of #IndianNavy’s @IN_EasternFleet to the #SouthChinaSea,”. This amidst China flexing its muscles in the West Philippines Sea and Natuna Sea or what Communist China calls the South China Sea.
Currently, the Chinese navy is involved in a standoff with the US-backed Philippines naval ships in the West Philippines Sea. The Philippines is trying to assert its claim over the Second Thomas Shoal, which is strongly resisted by China.
As part of its expansionist plans, China claims most of the West Philippines and Natuna Sea. The Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have counterclaims.
The three Indian naval ships were welcomed by personnel of the Singapore Navy and the High Commissioner of India in Singapore.
On Tuesday, RAdm Dhankhar and the Indian High Commissioner hosted a reception on-board INS Shakti for 150 guests and missions heads.
The “visit is poised to further strengthen the longstanding friendship and cooperation between the two maritime nations through a series of engagements and activities,” the Ministry of Defence in New Delhi said in a statement.
During the ships’ stay in the harbour, various activities are planned. These include “interactions with the High Commission of India, professional interactions with the Republic of Singapore Navy as also academia and community outreach amongst other activities, reflecting the shared values of both navies,” it said.
The two countries’ navies have had robust relations spanning three decades of cooperation, coordination and collaboration with regular visits, exchange of best practices, and reciprocal training arrangements.
“The current deployment underscores the strong linkages between both the navies,” the statement said.
