The fourth India-Japan joint Coast Guard exercise was counducted off Kobe in Japan. Indian Coast Guard ship Sangram with integral helicopter participated in the exercise. During the exercise, the response of both Coast Guards to search and rescue (SAR) operations, piracy and pollution control was put to test. Various shore authorities in Japan and Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre, Mumbai participated in the exercise. Cooperation of IMB's Piracy Reporting Centre at Kuala Lumpur was also sought. Altogether, eight ships and two aircraft from Japanese Coast Guard participated in the exercise which is an annual event since 2000.

The joint exercise once again stressed the importance of cooperation between maritime forces. Indian Coast Guard is committed to enhancing cooperation with countries in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and other geographically located strategic countries. These joint exercises result in optimising the resources and reducing response time to threats at sea.

A delegation headed by Vice Admiral Sureesh Mehta, Director General, Goast Guard visited Japan to oversee the exercise. During its stay, the delegation called on the Ambassador of India in Tokyo, Mr Aftab Seth, Admiral Fukaya Kenichi, Commandant, Japan Coast Guard and other officials. The first joint exercise between the two Coast Guards, was conducted off Chennai in November 2000.