Singapore, Indonesian navies hold six-day military diving exercise

SINGAPORE – More than 230 servicemen from the Singapore and Indonesian navies took part in a six-day bilateral military diving exercise aimed at enhancing their ability to counter underwater threats together.

The exercise, called Joint Minex Pandu, was held in Batam and the waters off Bintan from May 14 to 19.

The exercise comprised professional exchanges on mine-hunting, clearance diving techniques and ship-boarding, as well as coordinated operations against simulated mine threats, diving operations and live gunnery firing, said the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) in a statement on May 19.

The Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) participated in the exercise with two Bedok-class mine countermeasure vessels – RSS Bedok and RSS Punggol – and personnel from the Naval Diving Unit.

The Indonesian Navy (TNI AL) sent two Pulau Fani-class minehunters – KRI Pulau Fani and KRI Pulau Fanildo – and a dive team.

Mindef said: “The RSN and TNI AL conduct regular professional exchanges, exercises and visits, and also collaborate through the Coordinated Patrol Indonesia-Singapore.

“The RSN’s other bilateral exercise with the TNI AL, Exercise Eagle Indopura, is the Singapore Armed Forces’ longest-running bilateral exercise with a foreign military. These activities underscore the close and longstanding defence relationship between Singapore and Indonesia.”

The opening ceremony for the latest bilateral exercise took place at the 4th Batam Main Naval Base on May 14.

It was officiated by TNI AL 4th Batam Main Naval Base commander, First-Admiral Tjatur Soniarto, and Maritime Security Task Force deputy commander, Colonel Chan Yeng Seng, Michael-John.

“The strong bilateral friendship between TNI AL and the RSN is certainly not limited to this exercise,” COL Chan said in his opening remarks.

“Our navies engage each other in many areas and across multiple levels. It is through the many years of working closely together, and strong friendships that we have built, that allow us to have a high level of mutual trust and interoperability.”