NEW DELHI: An Indian submarine has, for the first time ever, docked in Indonesia, which is amongst the nations secured a maritime disagreement with China in the controversial South China Sea, as part of the continuing overall diplomatic-military outreach to Asean countries.The 3,000-tonne diesel-electric submarine, INS Sindhukesari, reached Jakarta for the maiden operational turn-around after transiting through the Sunda Strait on Wednesday.

Indian warships often visit Indonesia and other Asean nations.

This very first long-range implementation of a submarine underlines the operational ability and reach of the nations undersea fight arm as well, a senior main informed TOI.INS Sindhukesari had undergone a major Rs 1,197-crore medium refit-cum-life extension at Severodvinsk in Russia that ended in 2018, as part of the ongoing strategy to update four old Sindhughosh-class (Russian-origin Kilo-class) and 2 Shishumar-class (German HDW) submarines to stem exhaustion in the underwater fleet.The submarines release to Indonesia comes soon after India conducted functional training to deal with the BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles for 21 military workers from Philippines at Nagpur previously this month.India will supply three missile batteries of the shore-based anti-ship systems of the BrahMos, a fatal standard (non-nuclear) weapon that flies nearly three times the speed of sound at Mach 2.8 with a strike variety of 290-km, under the $375 million contract inked in January last year.The initially such BrahMos export order to Philippines, which also has bitter territorial disagreements with China in the South China Sea, is expected to pave the way for such handle other Asean nations like Indonesia and Vietnam.

Along with the push for military ties with African and Gulf nations on one side, India has actually been gradually cranking up defence relations with Asean nations on the other side through fight workouts, exchanges, training programs to run fighters and submarines, and now increasingly weapon supplies.India, for example, had moved a Kilo-class submarine INS Sindhuvir to Myanmar in 2020, as was then reported by TOI.

Apart from BrahMos, collectively developed with Russia, India likewise hopes to sell the native Akash missile systems, which can intercept hostile aircraft, helicopters, drones and subsonic cruise missiles at a range of 25-km, to nations like Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam, to name a few countries.On the bilateral workouts front, India has actually conducted the SIMBEX naval workout with Singapore, the Agni Warrior Army workout with Singapore, Harimau Shakti with Malaysia and the Garud Shakti with Indonesia in current months.With Indonesia, India likewise conducts coordinated marine patrols twice a year, with the last one being held along the worldwide maritime boundary line in December.

India and Indonesia have actually expanded their tactical and defence cooperation in a vast array of locations, especially after inking a new defence cooperation contract throughout PM Narendra Modis see to the nation in 2018, another official stated.