Maritime Security

Top Navy commanders to review maritime security challenges at key meeting

Top commanders of the Indian Navy will carry out a comprehensive review of India's maritime security challenges, including China's growing forays into the Indian Ocean, at a four-day conclave beginning Tuesday. The commanders are also likely to deliberate on the overall situation in the Red Sea and adjoining areas that witnessed a series of attacks by Houthi militants on cargo vessels till a few weeks back. The conference would witness comprehensive review of the operational preparedness, discussions on the Navy's capability enhancement plan, promoting national vision of indigenisation and realising combat effectiveness of Naval forces, officials said. The ambitious theaterisation plan of the government is also set to figure prominently during the deliberations. The naval commanders conference is the apex level biannual event that facilitates deliberations on significant strategic, operational and administrative issues. Being held against the backdrop of evolving geo-political and

Loose electrical cable found on ship behind Baltimore bridge collapse

Investigators working to pinpoint the cause of Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse discovered a loose cable that could have caused electrical issues on the Dali, the massive cargo ship that lost power and disastrously veered off course before striking the bridge. When disconnected, the problematic cable triggered an electrical blackout on the ship similar to what happened as it approached the bridge on March 26, according to new documents released Wednesday by the National Transportation Safety Board. The documents don't include any analysis or conclusions, which will be released later in the board's final report. A spokesperson for the board declined to comment as the investigation is ongoing. The Dali was leaving Baltimore bound for Sri Lanka when its steering failed because of the power loss. It crashed into one of the bridge's supporting columns, destroying the 1.6-mile span and killing six members of a roadwork crew. Safety investigators released a preliminary report

IMEC to cut logistics costs and boost maritime security, says Piyush Goyal

IMEC aims to boost economic development by fostering connectivity and economic integration between Asia, the Persian Gulf, and Europe

Southeast Asian diplomats meet China's Wang Yi over maritime dispute

Top diplomats from Southeast Asia met Friday morning in Vientiane with China's Foreign Minister for talks that come as friction continues to escalate over Beijing's growing effort to press its sweeping maritime claims in the South China Sea. Several members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nation have disputes with China, which has led to direct confrontations that many worry could lead to broader conflict. One wrong step in the South China Sea will turn a small fire into a terrible firestorm, said Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi ahead of the talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. ASEAN members Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei all have conflicts with China over its claims of sovereignty over virtually all of the South China Sea, one of the world's most crucial waterways for shipping. Indonesia has also expressed concern about what it sees as Beijing's encroachment on its exclusive economic zone. The United States and its allies, meanwhile, have bee

Yemen's Houthis target 3 vessels in Red, Mediterranean seas with missiles

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the latest Houthi military operations were a response to the Israeli airstrike on the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis

Taiwan tracks 18 Chinese military aircraft, 8 vessels near its territory

So far in July, the Taiwan's MND has detected Chinese military aircraft 294 times and naval ships 84 times

Indian Navy ships in Philippines to further strengthen maritime cooperation

Three Indian Navy ships are in the Philippines with an aim to further strengthen maritime cooperation with that country, an official said on Monday. Their visit is part of an "operational deployment" of the Indian Navy's Eastern Fleet to the South China Sea. Indian Navy ships -- INS Delhi, INS Shakti and INS Kiltan -- arrived in Manila on Sunday, a spokesperson of the Navy said. The aim is to further strengthen the longstanding friendship and maritime cooperation, the official said. The ships were accorded a warm welcome by the Philippines Navy. During the visit, personnel from both the navies will engage in wide range of professional interactions, including subject matter expert exchange, sports fixtures, cross-deck visits, cultural visits and collaborative community outreach programmes, the spokesperson said. "The ships will also participate in a Maritime Partnership Exercise (MPX) with the Philippines Navy," he said.

India, Australia, Indonesia conclude trilateral maritime security workshop

"The Workshop was conducted under the aegis of Headquarters Southern Naval Command and witnessed participation of delegates from the three participating Navies," the release added

Indian Navy to hold maritime exercise with Singapore to enhance operability

The Indian Navy is looking forward to further enhancing its operability with the Singapore Navy and understanding of each other's operational philosophy by holding joint maritime exercises, Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet Read Admiral Rajesh Dhankhar has said. Addressing a reception for 150 guests from Singapore's defence sector, heads of diplomatic missions and Indian diaspora on board INS Shakti at the Changi Naval Base on Tuesday, he said the navies of the two countries are planning to hold the 31st edition of the Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercise (SIMBEX) which will be held at Visakhapatnam in the fourth quarter of this year. We will be undertaking the 31 Edition of SIMBEX (and) we have done the planning at the working level for the event to be held in the fourth quarter of this year at Visakhapatnam, Dhankhar who is leading the Indian Naval Ships Delhi, INS Shakti, and Kiltan to Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines. We look forward to further enhancing our ..

US, Sri Lanka to conduct joint maritime drill ahead of Iranian Prez's visit

The US Navy, the US Marine Corps, and the Sri Lankan Navy will conduct a bilateral maritime joint exercise from Monday, including anti-terrorism manoeuvres, the American mission here said. The joint exercise called the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) gets underway two days before the proposed visit of Iran President Ebrahim Raisi to the island nation to inaugurate an Iranian-funded hydropower project. However, the confirmation of the visit, happening in the current backdrop of Israeli-Iranian tensions, is yet to be announced by the Sri Lankan authorities. CARAT Sri Lanka will feature the expertise of the US Fleet Anti-Terrorism Security Team (FAST), a US Marine Corps unit specialised in security and anti-terrorism for naval assets, engaging alongside their Sri Lanka Navy Marine counterparts on a full spectrum of naval capabilities, according to an official press release. The CARAT Sri Lanka bilateral maritime exercise underscores the strong partnership and shared

2 Japanese navy helicopters crash in Pacific Ocean; 1 dead, 7 missing

Two Japanese navy helicopters carrying eight crewmembers were believed to have crashed in the Pacific Ocean south of Tokyo during a night-time training exercise, and rescuers were searching for the missing, Japan's defense minister said. The two SH-60K choppers belonging to the Maritime Self Defense Force and carrying four crew each, lost contact late Saturday near Torishima island in the Pacific about 600 kilometers (370 miles) south of Tokyo, Defense Minister Minoru Kihara told reporters. One of the eight crewmembers was recovered from the waters, but his or her condition was unknown. Officials were still searching for the other seven. The cause of the crash was not immediately known, Kihara said, adding that officials are prioritizing the rescue operation. The MSDF deployed eight warships and five aircraft for the search and rescue of the missing crew. They recovered fragments believed to be from one of the SH-60Ks, Kihara said. We believe the helicopters have crashed, he said.

Ships transiting the Gulf, Western Indian Ocean should stay alert: Ambrey

Ambrey said it had received information that indicated an "Israeli military strike" was conducted on Isfahan, Iran

Baltimore bridge collapse piques concern on safety, communication measures

In the moments before the cargo ship Dali rammed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge and sent it crumbling into the water, a flurry of urgent warnings crackled over radios and enabled police to block traffic from getting on the span, likely saving lives. But those warnings seemingly didn't reach the six construction workers who were killed in last week's collapse of the Baltimore bridge. Their deaths have raised questions about whether the construction company took proper precautions, including keeping a safety boat nearby that might have been able to warn them at least a few seconds before impact. Federal regulations require construction companies to keep such boats, commonly known as skiffs, on hand whenever crews are working over waterways, safety experts told The Associated Press. There is no indication that the construction company, Brawner Builders, had a rescue boat on the water or ready to be launched as the bridge fell. If you're working over a bridge like that, the standard

ICG rebased at northern, southern flanks of Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Two Indian Coast Guard ships have been rebased at northern and southern flanks of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands at Diglipur and Campbell Bay respectively."In a major boost to maritime security in Andaman & Nicobar islands, @IndiaCoastGuard ships Rajtarang & Rajkiran have been rebased at northern & southern flanks of Islands at Diglipur & Campbell Bay respectively," the Indian Coast Gurad said in a post on 'X'."The rebasing will ensure enhanced coastal security, #MaritimeLawEnforcement, EEZ surveillance, search & rescue, pollution response, & swift response to maritime contingencies," it added.Meanwhile, the Indian Coast Guard has strategically based additional hovercraft at Jakhau, close to the Indo-Pakistan maritime frontier and a capital ship at Vadinar in the Gulf of Kutch, according to an official statement issued on Monday.ICGS Samudra Pavak, a specialised Marine Pollution Control Vessel, will now operate from the new Coast Guard Jetty at ...

Ship, which crashed into Baltimore bridge, was under maintenance: Official

The ship that crashed into a bridge in Baltimore was undergoing "routine engine maintenance" in the port beforehand, the Coast Guard said. US Coast Guard Rear Admiral Shannon Gilreath said at a news conference on Wednesday that authorities had been informed that the ship was going to undergo routine engine maintenance before it lost power. But he said authorities were not informed of any problems. TWO BODIES HAVE BEEN RECOVERED AT SITE OF BRIDGE COLLAPSE, AUTHORITES SAY The bodies of two people have been recovered from the site of the Baltimore bridge that collapsed into a river early Tuesday when a ship crashed into it, said Col Roland L Butler Jr, superintendent for Maryland State Police. Butler said Wednesday that a 35-year-old and a 26-year-old were recovered from a red pickup truck in the Patapsco River near the mid-span of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge. The six construction workers who were missing and presumed dead were from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salva

Baltimore bridge collapse probe picks up speed as divers recover 2 bodies

Investigators began collecting evidence from the cargo ship that plowed into Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge and caused its collapse, while in the waters below divers searched through twisted metal for six construction workers who plunged into the harbour. The bodies of two were recovered Wednesday, and the others were presumed dead. The bodies of the two men, aged 35 and 26, were located by divers inside a red pickup submerged in about 25 feet of water near the bridge's middle span, Col Roland L Butler Jr, superintendent of Maryland State Police, announced at an evening news conference. The victims were from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, Butler said. The investigation picked up speed as the Baltimore region reeled from the sudden loss of a major transportation link that's part of the highway loop around the city. The disaster also closed the port that is vital to the city's shipping industry. Officials with the National Transportation Safety Board boarded the s

Navy holds operation in Arabian Sea, demonstrating operation readiness

"Piracy has resurfaced as an industry to gain from the disorder in the region. We will take affirmative action to prevent that," the Navy chief said

35 pirates, caught in mid-sea op by Navy, to be prosecuted in India: Report

35 Somali pirates were forced to surrender by the Indian Navy about 2,600 km from the Indian coast after it intercepted the ex-MV Ruen, hijacked by them for carrying out attacks on other vessels

Indian Navy ship, commandos force pirates to surrender, rescue MV Ruen crew

Merchant vessel MV Ruen was hijacked by Somali pirates on December 14

Red Sea crisis impact on trade data will be visible in FY24: GTRI

With escalating everyday attacks and no end in sight, the Red Sea crisis will adversely impact trade volumes in substantial ways in 2024, according to the report of economic think tank GTRI. The Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) said that rising shipping, and insurance costs and delayed arrival of shipments will continue to disrupt global value chains, squeeze margins, and make exports of many low-margin products unviable from current locations. Countries in Asia, Africa, and Europe will face the most disruption across industries, it added. It said that the disruption is significantly impacting Indian trade, especially with the Middle East, Africa, and Europe. India, heavily reliant on the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait for crude oil and LNG imports and trade with key regions, faces substantial economic and security risks from any disruption in this area. About 65 per cent of India's crude oil imports in FY2023, valued at USD 105 billion, from countries like Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and ...