Indonesia, Philippines Conduct Joint Maritime Training 🤝🌊
Philindo 2025 drills target piracy, smuggling & illegal fishing 🇮🇩🤝🇵🇭
The Main Takeaway 🎯
The Indonesian Navy and Philippine Navy launched their 4th joint maritime training, Philindo 2025, held Sept 28–Oct 3 in Bitung, North Sulawesi.
The six-day exercise covers Visit Board Search & Seizure (VBSS), CASEVAC, Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA), and cultural exchanges.
Why It’s on Our Radar 🔎
🌏 Miangas Island, Indonesia’s northernmost point, lies closer to Mindanao than Sulawesi — a hotspot for illegal crossings
🐟 Region plagued by illegal fishing & smuggling draining billions in revenue
🚢 Strategic shipping lanes vulnerable to piracy, oil theft, and trafficking
What’s at Stake ⚖️
🛡️ Border sovereignty — Routine patrols needed to deter encroachment
💵 Economic security — IDR 805.9B lost to illegal fishing Jan–Jun 2025 alone
🤝 Military ties — Exercises enhance professionalism & trust between neighbors
The Big Picture 📸
Indonesia captured 34 illegal fishing boats (7 Philippine-flagged) in the Pacific/North Sulawesi waters this year
Joint drills underscore both nations’ commitment to tackling maritime crimes that weaken food security & coastal economies
Vessels deployed: 🇮🇩 KRI Lumba-lumba 881 & 🇵🇭 BRP Artemio Ricarte, both armed for patrol and enforcement
Why This Hits Home ❤️
For coastal communities, illegal fishing means empty nets & shrinking income. For both nations, maritime cooperation means safer seas, stronger livelihoods, and a shield against organized crime.
The Regional Stakes 🌐
🧭 Builds on Multilateral Naval Exercise Komodo 2025 (Bali) with 38 navies
🌐 Complements Super Garuda Shield 2025, involving 13 countries across Asia-Pacific, Europe & the U.S.
🚨 Signals Southeast Asia’s push for collective maritime security amid South China Sea disputes
Beyond the Headlines 📰
🇮🇩 KRI Lumba-lumba 881 — 40mm Marlin Ilos cannon, 12.7mm machine guns, 50 crew
🇵🇭 BRP Artemio Ricarte — 76mm OTO Melara cannon, multiple defense systems, tasked with Philippine maritime patrols
🪖 Led by Let. Col. Guntur Prastyawan (Indonesia) & senior Philippine naval officers
🎯 Goal: strengthen operational readiness, disaster response & law enforcement at sea
Need More Angles? 📰
(NGO/QOB)