Following the IMDEX, Indian Naval ships together with an Indian Navy surveillance aircraft P8I will participate in the 26th edition of Singapore India Maritime Bilateral Exercise scheduled from May 16 to 22. A display model of a Scorpene submarine is exhibited at IMDEX Asia in Singapore on May 14, 2019

SINGAPORE: India's profound role in conducting wide-ranging multi-lateral and bilateral naval exercises proves its commitment towards the Act East Policy and an inclusive, open and balanced Indo-Pacific region, India's High Commissioner to Singapore Jawed Ashraf has said.

Speaking at a reception on board INS Kolkata on Wednesday, Ashraf said that the multi-lateral and bilateral naval exercises are part of India's growing strategic engagement and defence diplomacy in the South East Asian region.

INS Kolkata and INS Shakti are participating in a three-day International Maritime Defence Exhibition Asia (IMDEX) that commenced here on May 14.

"India conducts wide-ranging multi-lateral and bilateral naval exercises in the region and that complements the country's diplomatic, economic, developmental and cultural ties in the region," he said at the event held to celebrate the success of the Indian Navy in recent exercises and responses to disaster and rescue operations.

The IMDEX Asia-2019 also witnessed the participation of some of India's leading engineering and ship building firms, including Larsen & Toubro and BrahMos, which makes the state-of-the-art air, sea and ground launch cruise missiles.

Following the IMDEX, Indian Naval ships together with an Indian Navy surveillance aircraft P-8I will participate in the 26th edition of Singapore India Maritime Bilateral Exercise (SIMBEX) scheduled from May 16 to 22.

“In a couple of days from now we (India and Singapore) will begin our bilateral exercises that reaffirms India's commitment to its Act East Policy and our shared commitment to the Indo-Pacific region and to uphold a rule-based order,” Ashraf said.

Having just completed multi-lateral exercises with navies from 28 countries, India and Singapore will commence 26th SIMBEX, which is the longest uninterrupted bilateral naval exercise in the world.