Asean, India prepare for maritime exercise

August 22 ------ THE Philippine and Indian navies have finalized preparations for the second Asean-India Maritime Exercise (AIME), which will bring together the naval forces of India and the 11 Asean member-states in waters off the Philippines.

The exercise is scheduled for Sept. 28 to Oct. 2, according to the Philippine Navy, with the Philippines and India serving as hosts. The final preparations were discussed during the just-concluded AIME 2026 Final Planning Conference held in Pasay City.

The Asean Defense Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) calendar identifies the second AIME as a major Asean-India defense activity and lists Subic, Zambales, as the venue for the exercise. The participating countries are India, the Philippines, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam.

The conference was co-chaired by Commodore Lued Lawan Lincuna, commander of the Philippine Navy’s Naval Defense Command, representing Flag Officer in Command Vice Adm. Jose Ma. Ambrosio Ezpeleta, and Commodore Amaninder Singh Sangha of the Indian Navy. The exercise, with the theme “Anchored in Trust, United at Sea,” is intended to improve maritime security cooperation, operational coordination and interoperability among participating navies.

Lincuna said the exercise reflects the importance of maritime cooperation among countries whose economies and communities depend heavily on the sea. He said the increasingly complex maritime security environment requires countries to strengthen their ability to communicate, coordinate and operate together in addressing security challenges such as protecting vital sea lanes of communication and responding to emerging maritime security concerns.

Sangha pointed to India’s strategic partnership and longstanding ties with Asean, saying evolving maritime challenges require a collective approach to maintaining a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific. The exercise comes as Asean and India mark the Asean-India Year of Maritime Cooperation, following a decision by Asean and Indian leaders in 2025 to designate 2026 for expanded maritime cooperation.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also proposed the second Asean-India Maritime Exercise as part of efforts to promote a secure maritime environment. The second AIME builds on the inaugural exercise held in 2023, which involved Indian and Asean naval forces in the South China Sea.

The 2023 sea phase involved about 1,400 personnel aboard nine ships and included tactical maneuvers, helicopter cross-deck landings, seamanship activities and other maritime operations designed to improve interoperability.

Asean and India have also committed to strengthening cooperation in maritime security through joint exercises, naval ship visits and other defense engagements. Their broader cooperation covers such areas as counterterrorism, cybersecurity, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, transnational crime and confidence-building measures.

The Philippine Navy said its participation in AIME 2026 is part of its efforts to strengthen defense diplomacy and maritime cooperation with regional and partner navies.

Source: manilatimes.net