Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Vigraha is on an operational visit to Jakarta, Indonesia, from 2–5 December 2025 as part of its overseas deployment to ASEAN countries. The visit aims to deepen cooperation between the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and the Indonesian Coast Guard agency BAKAMLA through intensive professional engagements, joint drills and people-to-people outreach.
Intensive Operational Engagements in Jakarta
During the three-day stopover, personnel from ICG and BAKAMLA are participating in professional interactions, tabletop exercises, shipboard drills and joint training sessions. These activities are designed to refine standard operating procedures and strengthen mutual understanding of each other’s capabilities, equipment and response mechanisms in real-world situations.
Focus on Maritime Safety, Security and Environment
The engagements prioritise three critical domains: Maritime Law Enforcement, Marine Pollution Response and Maritime Search and Rescue. Both India and Indonesia manage large Exclusive Economic Zones and witness dense maritime traffic, making cooperation essential for tackling illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, piracy, trafficking, maritime accidents and environmental hazards such as oil spills. A dedicated Passage Exercise (PASSEX) at sea will further enhance operational cohesion, communication protocols and seamanship between the two services.
Building Camaraderie and a Rules-Based Order
Beyond operational drills, the visit includes courtesy calls, ship visits, yoga and sports events and exchanges at maritime training establishments to build trust and camaraderie among personnel. These interactions support India and Indonesia’s shared commitment to a Rules-Based International Order in the Indo-Pacific by translating high-level intent into practical cooperation through routine enforcement, coordinated surveillance and joint response mechanisms along strategic sea lanes.
MoU-Driven Cooperation and Long-Term Partnership
A key pillar of the relationship is the July 2020 Memorandum of Understanding between ICG and BAKAMLA, which institutionalised collaboration in law enforcement, coordinated patrols, search and rescue, pollution response, information sharing and capacity building. Since then, both sides have maintained regular high-level visits, bilateral training exchanges and coordinated operations, with Indonesian officers attending Indian training programmes and ICG ship visits enabling cross-deck learning.
Continued ASEAN Deployment and Regional Impact: ICGS
The presence of ICGS Vigraha in Jakarta signals India’s continued commitment to cooperative maritime security and capability-building with ASEAN partners. After completing its Indonesia leg, the ship will sail to Port Klang, Malaysia, continuing its deployment aimed at enhancing regional engagement, strengthening collaborative response mechanisms and contributing to peace, stability and good order at sea across the wider Indo-Pacific.
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Source: PIB
