India-Sri Lanka - Joint patrolling
Lt. Gen., Aditya Singh, General officer commanding-in-cheif, said that joint patrolling in the Indian Ocean by the Indian and SriLankan navy was tactically advisible.
Mr.Singh said that the Indian BSF and Pakistan rangers jointly maintain the North West borders successfully. He said if this could happen in land it could also happen at sea. He also said joint patrolling exercise could help in building mutual confidence between India and Sri Lanka and thereby make life easier for the fishermen from both countries who sometimes stray into each other’s waters looking out for a better yield.
He said that India and Thailand jointly maintained the Andaman Sea to combat piracy and drug trafficking in 2005. He also said that the joint patrolling exercise was successful and could be tried with other countries.
Mr.Singh added that Indian and Sri Lankan governments should discuss various measures to make the borders as peaceful as possible. The Indian and SriLankan navies had taken up joint patrolling along the International Maritime Boundary Line back in 2005.
