Visit of INS Trikand to Djibouti INS Trikand, a front-line warship of the Indian Navy, entered the port of Djibouti today 10 Aug 15 and shall stay till 13 Aug 15. The port of Djibouti has always been hospitable to Indian Naval warships transiting to and from the Mediterranean. Since November 2008, the port has also been frequented by warships of the Indian Navy for operational tasking during anti-piracy escort missions being conducted in the Gulf of Aden. Recently, Djibouti also played a central role in 'Operation Rahat' in April 2015, during which Indian warships rescued over 3000 stranded Indian citizens along with citizens of 35 different nationalities from strife-torn nation of Yemen. The evacuated people were brought to Djibouti, designated as the centre for initial evacuation by the Indian Government, for onward transfer to their respective countries. Historical links, cultural affinity and people-to-people contacts between India and Djibouti have existed long before India's independence in 1947 and Djibouti's independence in 1977. The port of Adulis was the hub of maritime trade where Indian seafarers traded spices and silk for gold and ivory. The relations between India and Djibouti are traditionally warm and friendly. The port call is part of the Indian Navy's mission of building 'Bridges of Friendship' and strengthening of international cooperation with friendly countries. The visit aims at reaffirming the Indian Navy's peaceful presence and solidarity with the countries in the region thereby allowing, both Djibouti and India, to meet the ever growing challenges of the maritime environment. INS Trikand, commanded by Captain Vinay Kalia, is a state-of-the-art warship of the Indian Navy equipped with a versatile range of weapons and sensors capable of addressing threats in all the three dimensions - air, surface and sub-surface. The visiting ship is part of the Indian Navy's Western Fleet and is under the operational command of the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command, with its Headquarters at Mumbai. DKS/CKP
