MANILA - Russia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will conduct a naval exercise on Dec. 1-3 in the waters of Indonesia, the Mission of the Russian Federation to ASEAN said Tuesday.

It is the third of such ASEAN+1 maritime drill, after the ASEAN-China Maritime Exercise in 2018, and the ASEAN-US Maritime Exercise in 2019, according to Collin Koh of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore who has research interests on naval affairs in the Indo-Pacific, focusing on Southeast Asia.

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Russia said the exercise, which will include Harbor Phase (virtually) and Sea Phase, will be held in the Indonesian territorial waters off the coast of North Sumatera.

“The exercise is aimed at increasing interoperability between the ASEAN Member States Navies and Russian Navy to ensure the safety of maritime economic activity and civil navigation,” the Russian mission said.

The first ever ASEAN-Russia Naval Exercise (#ARNEX) will be held on December 1 – 3, 2021 within the Indonesian territorial waters off the coast of North Sumatera. The Russian Navy will be represented by the Russian Pacific Fleet destroyer Admiral #Panteleyev. #ARNEX21 pic.twitter.com/hI7mSuJnh1

— Russian Mission to ASEAN (@ASEANRussia) November 23, 2021

There is no immediate information on how many personnel and vessels will participate, but Russia said its navy will be represented by the Russian Pacific Fleet destroyer Admiral Panteleyev.

The ASEAN-Russia Naval Exercise was approved during the two parties’ 4th summit last Oct. 28 via videoconference. ASEAN and Russia mark this year the 30th anniversary of their relations.

ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Russia, China and the United States are among 11 dialogue partners of ASEAN.

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