ISLAMABAD: The Bangladesh Navy demonstrated its formidable maritime prowessduring the culmination of its Annual Sea Exercise 2025 in the Bay ofBengal, executing a series of live missile launches proximate to the Indianmaritime border. This five-day maneuver, observed by senior interimgovernment officials aboard the guided-missile frigate BNS Khalid BinWalid, underscored the navy’s commitment to safeguarding sea lines ofcommunication and countering potential threats in this strategically vitalwaterway. The exercise highlighted synchronized operations across multipledomains, reinforcing Bangladesh’s defensive posture in an increasinglycontested region.
The drill incorporated a diverse array of assets, including frigates,corvettes, offshore patrol vessels, missile boats, maritime patrolaircraft, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles, and elite Special WarfareDiving and Salvage (SWADS) units. Key activities encompassed ship-bornemissile firings, shoulder-launched surface-to-air missile (SAM)deployments, anti-aircraft rapid open fire, rocket depth charge exercises,and Helicopter Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure (HVBSS) tactics. Theseelements simulated comprehensive naval warfare scenarios, fromanti-submarine warfare to coastal defense, ensuring operational readinessagainst piracy, smuggling, and external incursions.
As a medium-sized naval force, the Bangladesh Navy maintains a balancedarsenal that positions it as a credible regional player. Its fleetcomprises two Chinese-origin Type 035G diesel-electric submarines, capableof extended underwater patrols with torpedo and mine-laying capabilities.Surface combatants include five guided-missile frigates, such as theadvanced BNS Bangabandhu, equipped with C-802 anti-ship missiles, and sixguided-missile corvettes armed with similar precision-guided systems. Thiscomposition enables effective blue-water operations within Bangladesh’sexclusive economic zone, spanning over 118,000 square kilometers.
Complementing its surface fleet, the navy deploys over 40 minor combatants,including offshore patrol vessels and fast-attack craft, bolstered byanti-ship and air-defense missiles like the FM-90 SAM. Naval aviationassets, introduced since 2011, feature maritime patrol aircraft andhelicopters for surveillance and reconnaissance, while indigenousshipbuilding initiatives enhance sustainability. Collectively, theseresources reflect a modernization drive that has elevated the navy fromcoastal defense to a versatile force, ranked among South Asia’s strongermedium-tier navies per global assessments.
The timing of this exercise, amid reports of concurrent Indian navalmaneuvers, has drawn attention to potential friction in the Bay of Bengal,where unresolved boundary issues persist. Analysts note that Bangladesh’sgrowing defense ties with Pakistan, including recent officer exchanges, maysignal a strategic recalibration following political transitions in Dhaka.Nonetheless, the navy emphasizes that such drills prioritize nationalsovereignty and maritime resource protection, contributing to regionalstability through demonstrated deterrence.
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This showcase of firepower not only validates the navy’s tacticalproficiency but also affirms its role in economic security, patrollingvital trade routes that facilitate Bangladesh’s export-driven growth. Asclimate vulnerabilities heighten the need for robust coastal defenses, theBangladesh Navy’s evolving capabilities ensure resilience againstmultifaceted threats, positioning it as a guardian of the nation’s bluefrontier.
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