EX BONGOSAGAR

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Context

• The third edition of Indian Navy (IN) – Bangladesh Navy (BN) Bilateral Exercise ‘Bongosagar’ commenced at Port Mongla, Bangladesh.
• Both navies will also be conducting the Harbour Phase of exercise which will be followed by a Sea Phase in the Northern Bay of Bengal.

About Exercise Bongosagar

• Exercise Bongosagar is aimed at developing a high degree of interoperability and joint operational skills through the conduct of a wide spectrum of maritime exercises and operations between the two navies.
• Indian Naval Ships Kora, an indigenously built Guided Missile Corvette, and Sumedha, an indigenously built Offshore Patrol Vessel are participating in the Exercise.
• Bangladesh Navy is being represented by BNS Abu Ubaidah and Ali Haider, both Guided Missile Frigates.
• The harbour phase of the exercise includes professional and social interactions, and friendly sporting fixtures, in addition to the tactical level planning discussions on the conduct of the exercises at sea.
• The sea phase of the exercise would facilitate ships from both the navies to participate in intensive surface warfare drills, weapon firing drills, seamanship evolutions and coordinated air operations in a tactical scenario.

India-Bangladesh Relations

• India and Bangladesh share bonds of history, language, culture, and a multitude of other commonalities.
• Both countries agreed to continue working together towards achieving early reforms of the UN Security Council, combating climate change, attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and protecting the rights of migrants.
• Both countries jointly inaugurated the newly restored railway link between Haldibari (India) and Chilahati (Bangladesh).
• India’s exports to Bangladesh for the financial year 2018-19 (April-March) stood at US 9.21 billion USD and imports from Bangladesh for the same period stood at US 1.22 billion USD.
• A bilateral Joint Rivers Commission (JRC) has been working since June 1972 to maintain liaison between the two countries to maximize benefits from common river systems.
• Various Joint exercises of the Army (Exercise Sampriti) and Navy (Exercise Milan) take place between the two countries.

https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1828166