Developing defence relations between the two countries, navies of India and Myanmar recently concluded their fourth joint Andaman Sea patrol.
India-Myanmar Coordinated Patrol (IMCOR), as it is officially called, was undertaken from February 13 to 16, 2016 along the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) in the Andaman Sea.
The two countries have conducted coordinated patrols along the maritime boundary since 2013. This year’s patrol was undertaken by Indian Navy Ships ‘Saryu’ and ‘Bitra’ and Union of Myanmar Ships ‘Aung Zeya’ and FAC 563.
The two navies also signed a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for IMCOR during the closing ceremony. Indian Navy Commander Atul Anand VSM and Myanmar Navy Commander Aung Zaw Hlaing signed the document in the presence of H.E Gautam Mukhopadhaya, the Ambassador of India to Myanmar.
This is only the third country with which India has signed a formal agreement for maritime coordinated patrols and reflects a growing naval interaction between India and Myanmar.