CHENNAI: The Navy and Coast Guard have drawn up elaborate plans for two separate exercises early this month off the Chennai coast with their counterparts from the United States and South Korea respectively.

The third India-U.S. naval exercises would be held off the Chennai coast next week. This will be one of the most sophisticated exercises involving the two countries, wherein inputs for an anti-terrorist operation will come from land, sea, air and space-based resources. The Naval Officer-in-Charge, Tamil Nadu, Commodore T. Hari will coordinate the exercises from the Indian side.

The India-U.S. naval exercise involves boarding a hijacked vessel. It takes the following form: An alert is received about a vessel hijacked by terrorists in the Bay of Bengal. Immediately, the Indian and U.S. navies swing into action. The location of the hijacked ship (a supply vessel from the U.S. fleet) is beamed by satellite and both navies set out to locate the ship. They are supported by on-board helicopters and land based surveillance aircraft. Once the location is firmed up, the naval vessels close in on the hijacked ship. A few warning shots are fired and later, Marine Commandoes from both navies storm the ship. The exercise is completed once the "hijacked" vessel is towed ashore.

With the first two exercises consolidating the communication links between the two navies, this exercise seeks to draw upon those lessons and carry the exercise series forward.

The Korean Coast Guard ship P/V Taepyungyang will berth at the Chennai harbour on Monday afternoon. It will be the first Korean Coast Guard vessel to take part in exercises with the Indian Coast Guard. Four Coast Guard Inshore Patrol Vessels, two Off Shore Patrol Vessels, one Advanced Offshore Patrol Vessel and helicopters will take part in the exercises off the Chennai coast on July 5.

"The basic exercises that we intend to hold include pollution response and search and rescue. We had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Korean Coast Guard in March," said IG Rajender Singh, Commander, Coast Guard Region (East). Coast Guard personnel of both countries would also test their ability to communicate with each other in times of a distress.

The Coast Guard has also arranged a reception for the members of the Korean Coast Guard later that evening.

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