As part of the Indian Navy’s
overseas deployment to the West Coast of Africa and the Mediterranean
Sea, three Indian warships, INS Mumbai, INS Trishul and INS
Aditya, arrived at Jeddah on 16 May 2017 for a three-day visit. The
warships will engage extensively with the Saudi Arabian Navy during their stay
in the country. Apart from professional interactions, sports and social
engagements are also planned, which would go a long way in enhancing
co-operation and understanding between these important navies of the Indian
Ocean Region (IOR).
The visiting ships, headed by
Rear Admiral RB Pandit, the Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet (FOCWF), who
is flying his flag on the guided missile destroyer INS Mumbai, are part
of the Indian Navy’s Western Naval Command and are based at Mumbai.
India and Saudi Arabia enjoy
cordial and friendly relations, reflecting centuries old economic and
socio-cultural ties. Bilateral trade between the countries has shown remarkable
growth and has registered a three-fold increase in the last five years. The 1.8
million–strong Indian community in Saudi-Arabia is the largest expatriate
community in the Kingdom and is the ‘most preferred community’ due to their
expertise, sense of discipline, and law abiding nature. The Haj pilgrimage is
another important component of the bilateral relations with over 1,65,000
Indians performing Haj every year.
Building
upon the rich and longstanding relations that have existed between India and
Saudi Arabia, both nations have developed warm relations in several spheres.
The current visit seeks to underscore India’s peaceful presence and solidarity
with friendly countries of the Indian Ocean and, in particular, to strengthen
the existing bonds between India and Saudi Arabia.
Indian Naval assets have been
increasingly deployed in recent times to address the main maritime concerns of
the region, including piracy off the coast of Somalia. In addition, the Indian
Navy has also been involved in assisting countries in the Indian Ocean Region
with Hydrographic Survey, Search and Rescue and other such capacity-building
and capability-enhancement activities. The current deployment into the
Mediterranean will contribute towards the Indian Navy’s efforts to consolidate
Inter Operability and forge strong bonds of friendship across the seas.
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