NEW DELHI (PTI): The fourth edition of a bilateral exercise between the Indian Navy and the Bangladesh Navy -- BONGOSAGAR-23 -- and the fifth edition of Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT) by the two navies were conducted in the northern Bay of Bengal from November 7-9, officials said on Friday.

Ships and aircraft from both navies undertook joint patrolling along the International Maritime Boundary Line and subsequently conducted maritime exercises to enhance interoperability, the defence ministry said in a statement here.

Indian Navy ships Kuthar and Kiltan and the Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) Dornier participated in the exercise along with Bangladesh Navy ships Abu Bakr and Abu Ubaidah and an MPA, it said.

"The ships undertook communication drills, surface gun-shoots, tactical manoeuvres and other exercises that culminated with a steam past. CORPAT-23 also included the maiden Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) drills conducted between the two navies wherein a search and rescue scenario at sea was exercised," the ministry statement said.

"Regular bilateral exercises and coordinated patrols have strengthened mutual understanding and cooperation between the two navies," it added.

Indian Navy Ship (INS) Kuthar is an indigenously built guided-missile corvette while INS Kiltan is an indigenously built anti-submarine corvette.

Both ships are part of the Indian Navy's Eastern Fleet based in Visakhapatnam, which functions under the operational command of the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command.