Myanmar naval officers and cadets visit Indian Naval Academy

09 October 2017
Myanmar naval officers and cadets visit Indian Naval Academy
Myanmar naval officers and cadets visit Indian Naval Academy in Kerala, India. Photo: INA

A delegation of five cadets led by Major Thike Zaw Hein and Captain Ko Ko Min of the Myanmar Defense Services Academy visited Indian Naval Academy (INA) in Kerala, India for a period of seven days from October 1.
During this period the Officers and cadets of Myanmar Defense Services Academy were acquainted with Infrastructure, Academic facilities and training processes at the INA, according to a press release issued on October 7. 
The aim of the visit was to build bridges of friendship between the two navies, exchange best practices and to consolidate and enhance bilateral defence relations between India and Myanmar. 
Naval cooperation between India and Myanmar has been traditionally strong, encompassing a wide span which includes operational interactions through coordinated patrols, training, port calls, passage exercises along with capacity building and capability augmentation initiatives. 
The visit also gave INA staff an opportunity to learn and understand the training processes and philosophy followed at Myanmar Defense Services Academy.  The visiting Myanmar officer delegation and cadets were given opportunities to not only understand the functionality of INA, but to form bonds of friendship with INA cadets. 
Towards this end, they were accommodated in the cadet’s squadron, dined and worked with the INA cadets and also attended classes in the company of their INA counterparts. They were also exposed to ‘God’s Own Country’, Kerala through visits to places of historical and cultural interest in and around Payyanur. 
The visit of Myanmar Naval delegation to INA closely follows the recent visit of Admiral Tin Aung San, Commander in Chief, Myanmar Navy to India from September 18 to 21 and is reflective of the growing level of cooperation between both Navies. 
It was said to be a mutually satisfying and enriching experience for the young officers of both Navies and reaffirmed the universal truth that Oceans unite all Nations. The Myanmar Naval delegation departed Indian Naval Academy on October 7. 
Indian Naval Academy is the initial officer training establishment of the Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard.