India deploys warships in Persian Gulf

santpaul

New Member
IANS[ SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2004 07:58:29 PM ]

NEW DELHI: India has sent some of its most powerful warships for deployment in the Persian Gulf as New Delhi steps up efforts to use its navy to project power in regional waters and to build closer defence ties with Middle Eastern countries.

A task group of six ships, a submarine and helicopters from the Navy's Mumbai-based Western Fleet, the maritime force's main war-fighting arm, left for the Persian Gulf last week and will be in the region for three weeks, said navy spokesman Commander Vinay Garg.

The group includes two 6,700-tonne Delhi-class guided missile destroyers, the most advanced and largest warships built by India, and INS Talwar, the latest Russian-built stealth frigate.

"The deployment of the Indian Navy ships in the north Arabian Sea also involves visits to ports of friendly nations," Garg said, noting that the group would split into two to call at ports in Oman, Iran, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

"The overseas deployment is also being undertaken with the aim of strengthening cooperation. The visits will provide a platform for professional interaction, help foster closer relations and enhance inter-operability with the navies of the host countries," he said.

Besides calling at ports, the Indian warships will carry out "passing exercises" or brief manoeuvres with the other navies.


India is also hoping to showcase its considerable shipbuilding capabilities by including indigenous warships in the task group.

"There could be scope for cooperation or even sales if the navies of other countries are impressed by our warships and the indigenous technology like radars and sensors used on them," said a navy officer, who did not want to be named.

While INS Talwar, indigenously built missile corvette Pralaya and a submarine would visit Muscat, Oman, between September 13 and 17, the Delhi, Mumbai, fleet tanker Aditya and missile corvette Kulish would visit Bandar Abbas, Iran, between September 14 and 18.

The warships will later visit Abu Dhabi in the UAE and Port Salman in Bahrain before returning to Mumbai in early October.

In recent years, India has stepped up efforts to use its navy to project its influence in the Indian Ocean region. Indian and US warships jointly patrolled the Malacca Straits for a short period last year, while the Indian Navy provided security for a summit of the African Union last year following a request from the host Mozambique.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-848249,curpg-2.cms
 
Top