IBSAMAR Naval Exercise Between South Africa, Brazil, and India

Brazil, India, and South Africa’s naval cooperation symbolise the three democracies’ and booming economies’ strong long-term strategic collaboration. Exercise IBSAMAR, which debuted in 2008, is the most prominent example of this alliance of democratic values, commercial interests, and maritime cooperation. 

Further, we will discuss Naval cooperation between Brazil, India, and South Africa and much more factual information in this article.

Naval cooperation between Brazil, India, and South Africa

Naval cooperation between Brazil, India, and South Africa symbolises the three democracies’ and expanding economies’ strong long-term strategic connection. The most obvious example of this blend of democratic values, commercial interests, and maritime cooperation is Ex IBSAMAR, created in 2008. Ex IBSAMAR has expanded in scope and complexity over the years. It is now a complicated trilateral exercise involving ships, aircraft, and Special Forces from Brazil, India, and South Africa.

The Ex IBSAMAR V would take place off the West Coast of India from February 19 to February 29, 2016, with the Harbour Phase in Goa. For the first time, Ex IBSAMAR is being conducted in the Indian Ocean; previous editions have been held in/off the coast of South Africa. The primary purpose of this exercise is to strengthen interoperability across the three fleets and develop shared knowledge and procedures for maritime security operations.

All About the IBSAMAR Naval Exercise Between South Africa, Brazil and India, we will now discuss exercise IBSAMAR.

Exercise IBSAMAR

The fifth edition of ‘Exercise IBSAMAR’ between Brazil, India, and South Africa begins tomorrow off the west coast of Brazil, with the harbour phase taking place in Goa.

Ex IBSAMAR V would take place off India’s west coast from February 19 to February 29, 2016, with the Harbor Phase at Goa. For the first time, Ex IBSAMAR is being conducted in the Indian Ocean; previous editions have been held in/off the coast of South Africa. This exercise aims to strengthen interoperability across the three fleets while building shared knowledge and procedures for maritime security operations.

IBSAMAR V encompasses professional engagements in the Harbour Phase and operational activities at sea in the Sea Phase. This year’s maritime exercises will focus on anti-submarine warfare (ASW), surface firings, air defence, visit board searches and seizure (VBSS), aviation operations, search and rescue (SAR), and tactical procedures.

The exercise includes:

• Port and sea phases.
• Navigation and seamanship evolutions.
• Surface weapon firing.
• Force protection drills.
• Antipiracy drills.
• Anti-air and anti-submarine drills.
• Flying operations.

Sports and social activities will be held in addition to professional competitions.

IBSAMAR is for India-Brazil-South Africa Maritime, and it refers to a series of naval exercises between the navies of India, Brazil, and South Africa. In 2006, the method was first employed.

In October 2014, IBSAMAR IV was held off the coast of South Africa.

Importance of IBSAMAR

IBSAMAR reflects the shifting global geopolitical and security landscape after the Cold War’s end. Under India’s “serious maritime threat,” South Africa attempted to establish strong naval links with Argentina, Australia, Brazil, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand in the 1960s and 1970s. (In reality, Pretoria’s goal was to break free from Apartheid’s strategic isolation, not to combat the declared “threat.”)

This stands in stark contrast to what South Africa’s Deputy Minister of Defence stated in 2005 when he stated that “In comparison to the South African Navy, which has less personnel, India, and Brazil, with over 50,000 warships… can play a big coordinated role in the future. … Due to a lack of naval capability, Southern Africa’s coastlines are under-monitored and under-protected. This allows our three fleets to collaborate in these areas.”

The inaugural IBSAMAR was held off the southwest coast of South Africa, near the Cape of Good Hope; it indicates that India and Brazil agreed to the Minister’s proposal. The Indian and Brazilian navy forces not only had to travel a long distance (almost 4,000 and 3,000 nautical miles, respectively) to the exercise site, but they also had to endure the duration of the exercise. This is a watershed moment on two fronts. 

It represents the growing reach and sustainability of “developing-country” fleets. Second, it demonstrates a growing recognition among these countries’ officials of the importance of defending their geographically expanding interests and performing their international commitments as future great powers.

Conclusion

The Exercise’s Goal Intensive professional exchanges will occur during the Harbor Phase. In contrast, various operational operations at sea will occur. Anti-submarine warfare (ASW), surface firings, air defences, visit board search and seizure (VBSS), aviation operations, and search and rescue (SAR). Tactical procedures will be the focus of maritime exercises in 2016. The INS Mumbai, a guided-missile destroyer designed and built in India, the INS Trishul, a stealth frigate, and the INS Shakti, a Shishumar class submarine, will represent the Indian Navy.