Visit of Indian Naval Ships to Malaysia | 17 May 2024
Recently, Indian Naval ships, INS Delhi and INS Shakti, visited Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia as part of the Indian Navy's Operational Deployment. The visit aims to strengthen the friendship and cooperation between India and Malaysia through a series of engagements and activities.
- The Indian Navy ships will participate in a Maritime Partnership Exercise (MPX)/ PASSEX at sea with ships of the Royal Malaysian Navy to enhance interoperability between the two Navies.
- INS Delhi is the first indigenously designed and built Project-15 class guided missile destroyer, while INS Shakti is a Fleet Support Ship, both part of the Indian Navy's Eastern Fleet.
- India-Malaysia Relations:
- Surrounded by busy sea lines of communications such as the Strait of Malacca and the South China Sea, Malaysia is a key pillar of India’s Act East policy and critical to India’s maritime connectivity strategies.
- India and Malaysia have signed the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA). CECA is a kind of Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
- Joint defence exercises between India and Malaysia:
- Army: Exercise Harimau Shakti
- Airforce: Exercise Udarashakti
- Navy: Exercise Samudra Laksamana
Read More: India-Malaysia Defence Cooperation