Context

Two frontline warships of the Indian Navy (INS Satpura and INS Delhi) reached in Singapore to participate in the inaugural edition of the ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise.

Key-highlights:

• The ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise (AIME-2023) aims to provide an opportunity to the Indian Navy and ASEAN navies to work closely with each other and conduct seamless operations in the maritime domain.
• The harbour phase of the exercise is scheduled to be held at the Changi Naval Base from, while the sea phase will be conducted in the South China Sea.
  • The South China Sea has been witnessing major military assertiveness by China in the last few years. 
  • New Delhi’s move to increase its maritime security cooperation with the ASEAN region comes amidst China’s growing belligerence not only on land in eastern Ladakh along the Line of Actual Control but also in the Indian Ocean, South China Sea, east China sea, Taiwan Strait and elsewhere in the Indo-Pacific Region.
• With AIME-2023 India becomes the 4th ASEAN dialogue partner, after Russia, China and the US to hold the ASEAN+1 maritime exercise in which navies of the Philippines, Cambodia, Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, and Brunei.