India offers choppers for Coast Guard use

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INDIA is offering seven helicopters, similar to the ones being used by the Indian Navy and Coast Guard, for the use of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) for rescue and humanitarian efforts during disasters, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said yesterday.

The PCO said Indian Ambassador Shambhu Kumaran, during his courtesy call on President Marcos Jr. last week, said his government is in talks with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the PCG about the helicopters.

Kumaran said the PCG has tried flying the helicopters and “is very interested.”

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“The discussion is going on very well. The Coast Guard is very interested — they’ve flown the helicopter … I would request your consideration because that would be a very positive [program],” the PCO said, quoting the ambassador during his talk with the President.

“So, these [seven helicopters] is really an optimal solution, given the changing requirements for the Philippine Coast Guard to play a more active role and its security,” Kumaran said, adding that the helicopters are used by India’s Navy and Coast Guard “for more active security operations that can carry more people and load.”

In August this year, a PCG delegation led by then commandant Artemio Abu went to India to explore maritime cooperation with the Indian Coast Guard. It also expressed interest in procuring military equipment, including advance light helicopters (ALHs) that have been designed and developed by Indian defense firms.

Marcos said India’s offer to provide helicopters to the PCG will be a big help to the government’s efforts to build up the country’s capabilities in terms of rescue and humanitarian efforts, as well as in “PCG’s maritime operations.”

He said the Philippines is boosting the PCG capability for search and rescue operations, but also “as you heard the news, there is a continuing problem really that we have to deal with and we have to increase our capabilities.”

PCG vessels have been escorting supply missions to the BRP Sierra Madre at the Ayungin Shoal, and had been subjected to shadowing and water cannon attacks by Chinese Coast Guard and militia vessels in the West Philippine Sea.

The President, meanwhile, told Kumaran that the Philippine government is fine-tuning measures aimed at extending electronic visas issued to foreigners.

The envoy asked the President to allow the extension of e-visas for Indian nationals staying in the Philippines.

“It won’t be just India, we are doing it with… several other countries… Again, we will just apply the same principles that we did with others — to India,” he said.

The Philippines and India are set to commemorate next year 75 years of diplomatic relations.

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