Indian Navy ships reach Mauritius

On a two-month-long overseas deployment, Indian naval ships Mumbai, Talwar and Deepak arrived in Port Louis, the capital of Mauritius, Friday, a statement said.

Under the Command of Rear Admiral R. Hari Kumar, Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet, the three ships, along with INS Teg, will be going to different parts of east Africa and the south Indian Ocean region.

The visit aims at bolstering ties and reinforcing cooperation in maritime security between India and Mauritius.

"The Indian Navy has close and friendly ties with all the navies of the region. The frequent cross visits by high-level delegations have strengthened bilateral relations," the statement from the Indian Navy said.

It said: "Regular conduct of joint patrols and EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone) surveillance of Mauritius by Indian warships and aircraft, construction of an Offshore Patrol Vessel for the MCG in India, installation of coastal radar surveillance systems and frequent port calls by naval ships signify the growing defence relations between the two countries."

India and Mauritius 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 an ideal forum for sharing of information and cooperation on maritime issues.