India-Bangladesh Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT) Exercise

Context

The fourth edition of the India-Bangladesh Navy Coordinated Patrol CORPAT commenced in the Northern Bay of Bengal.

Indian Navy’s indigenous warships, INS Kora and INS Sumedha along with Bangladesh Navy’s warships BNS Ali Haider and BNS Abu Ubaidah would touch the waters during patrolling.
Maritime Patrol Aircraft of both navies will also undertake joint patrol along the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) during CORPAT.

CORPAT exercise or CORPAT military exercise is held twice a year to ensure the safety and security of the Indian Ocean region.
India carries out CORPAT exercises with many countries such as Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Kenya, UAE, Qatar, Brunei, Bahrain, Egypt, the UK, and Germany.
It aims to keep the Indian Ocean Region safe and secure for commercial shipping, international trade and conduct of legitimate maritime activities.
As part of the Government of India’s vision of SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region), the Indian Navy has been proactively engaging with the countries in the Indian Ocean Region.

The first India-Bangladesh CORPAT was held in 2018.
The exercise was aimed at upgrading to a bilateral exercise with the navies engaging in seamanship evolutions, flying exercises, and much more.
The exercises were also aimed at developing mutual communication and sharing best practices.
With a common territorial boundary of over 4,000 kilometres and a maritime boundary, the Indian-Bangladesh CORPAT encouraged cooperation while patrolling near the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL).
The exercise aims to strengthen mutual understanding and enhance the interoperability between the navies of India and Bangladesh in countering maritime threats.