Indian naval ships in month-long Gulf deployment

DUBAI: Three Indian Naval ships will visit Dubai this week as part of a month-long deployment to the strategic Gulf region and enhance bilateral defence ties as well as India's experience in combating maritime threats with regional navies.

Indian Naval ships - Deepak, Delhi and Tarkash - under the Command of the Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet, Rear Admiral Ravneet Singh will visit Dubai from May 7 - May 10.

The ships are part of the Indian Navy's Western Naval Command based at Mumbai and are on a month-long deployment to the Gulf to enhance bilateral ties with friendly regional navies, Indian embassy in Abu Dhabi said in a statement.

During the visit, the naval ships will have professional interactions with the defence forces aimed at enhancing co-operation and sharing the nuances of naval operations including disaster management and combating maritime threats of terrorism and piracy.

The Indian Navy today is the largest resident Navy in the Indian Ocean Region, with a multi-dimensional capability comprising aircraft carriers, modern ships, submarines, aircraft and marine commandos, the release said.

The Indian Navy has close and friendly ties with all navies in the Gulf and has been regularly exercising with many of them. The Indian Navy is also privileged to provide training and hydrographic support to several navies in the region, the statement said.

The involvement of Indian Naval ships in combating piracy off the coast of Somalia since October 2008 has further strengthened bilateral ties and interaction with navies in the region, it said.

The UAE is today India's second largest trading partner and maritime cooperation between the two countries have increased steadily. Frequent port visits by naval ships of both countries, visit by Service Chiefs and training of UAE naval officers have further bolstered naval cooperation between the two countries.

India and UAE are also members of Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS), a voluntary and co-operative initiative between 35 countries of the Indian Ocean Region, which has served as a forum for sharing of information and cooperation on maritime issues.