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Indian warships : conduct exercises with Saudi Arabian vessels |
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Indian warships on a goodwill visit to Saudi Arabia conducted exercises with Saudi vessels in waters off Jubail port, marking the growing warmth in Indo-Saudi relations. Navy officials from the two Indian warships, INS Mysore and INS Godavari, had several meetings with their Saudi Arabian counterparts. The exercises, held on March 28, consisted of cross-helicopter landings, manoeuvres and flag hoisting drills.
The goodwill visit, from March 25-28, “was a precursor to a wider dimension of defence cooperation between India and Saudi Arabia.” Talmiz Ahmad, India’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, accompanied by Captain A.R. Radhakrishnan and Captain C.G.S. Khan, the commanders of the Indian warships, called on Abdul Mohisin Al Atiashan, Emir of Jubail.
The Emir was briefed about the features of the two warships that were designed by Indian naval architects and constructed at the state-owned Mazagon Dock Limited in Mumbai. The Indian Navy officials also called on the senior commanders of the Royal Saudi Arabian Navy and Coast Guard.
INS Mysore, missile destroyer, is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment to deal with nuclear, biological and chemical attacks. INS Godavari is armed with surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missiles and torpedoes.
Indian warships had earlier visited Saudi Arabia in June 1998 and September 2000.
New Delhi has been sending its three Delhi-class destroyers, the largest warships made by the country’s dockyards, on several foreign visits over the past two years. By showcasing indigenously developed technology, India is seeking to project itself as a supplier of cost effective military hardware.
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