Indian naval ships visit Bangladesh

Indian Naval Ships 'Tir' and 'Sujata', along with Indian Coast Guard Ship 'Varuna', comprising the 1st Training Squadron, arrived at Chittagong in Bangladesh on a visit on Friday, an official statement said.

The ships will be there till November 16 as part of their overseas deployment during the autumn term 2016.

"India and Bangladesh have a close, long-standing relationship covering a wide spectrum of activities and interactions, which has strengthened over the years," an Indian Navy statement said.

"The people of India and Bangladesh have close cultural bonds and a shared vision of a democratic society. The present deployment of the Training Squadron to Chittagong will further cement the close relations between the two nations and the two navies," it said.

The First Training Squadron forms part of the Southern Naval Command and comprises Indian Naval Ships Tir, Shardul, Sujata, ICGS Varuna and two Sail Training Ships Sudarshini and Tarangini, all of which have been built in India.

The primary aim of the squadron is to impart training to naval and Coast Guard trainees, with a 24-week ab initio sea training.

The trainees are skilled in seamanship, navigation, ship-handling, boat work, technical aspects etc. whilst being exposed to the rigours of life at sea, so as to earn their 'sea legs'.

The Southern Naval Command is the Training Command of the Indian Navy, which provides both basic and advanced training to naval officers and sailors.

The Indian Navy has also been providing training to personnel from friendly foreign countries for more than four decades, and more than 13,000 personnel from over 40 countries have been trained.

--IANS

ao/tsb/vt