Indian naval ships arrive in UAE to enhance defence ties

Four Indian naval ships have arrived in the UAE as part of a month-long overseas deployment to enhance bilateral ties and participate in naval exercises with navies in the Gulf region.

The ships 'Mysore', 'Tarkash', 'Tabar' and 'Aditya', that form part of the Indian Navy's Western Fleet under the Western Naval Command and are based at Mumbai, arrived yesterday under the Command of the Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet.

The ships' month-long overseas deployment to the Gulf is to enhance bilateral ties and engage in naval exercise with friendly regional navies. The visit is also aimed at further bolstering bilateral ties and reinforcing cooperation in maritime security between India and UAE, a statement released by Indian Consulate in Dubai said.

The Task Group is headed by Rear Admiral Anil Kumar Chawla NM VSM, the Flag Officer Commanding, Western Fleet, who is flying his flag on the guided missile destroyer, INS Mysore.

The Indian Navy has close and friendly ties with all navies in the Gulf and has been regularly exercising with many of them, the statement said.

The Indian Navy will provide training and hydrographic support to several navies in the region and the involvement of Indian Naval ships in combating piracy off the coast of Somalia since October 2008 has further strengthened bilateral ties and interaction with the navies in the region, it said.

"Bilateral relations between India and UAE have exercised for a long time with treaties and agreements on extradition, mutual legal assistance in criminal and civil matters, juridical and judicial cooperation in civil and commercial matters, combating trafficking in narcotics, civil aviation, cultural exchange and information cooperation.

"Maritime cooperation between the two countries has increased steadily since the inaugural Navy-to-Navy Staff Talks in Jan 2007, which covered the entire gamut of IN-UAEN cooperation. Frequent port visits by naval ships of both countries, visit by Service Chiefs and training of UAE Naval officers has further bolstered naval cooperation between the two countries," said the statement.

The current visit seeks to underscore India's peaceful presence and solidarity with friendly countries in the Gulf and strengthen the existing bonds of friendship between India and the UAE. India has an ancient maritime tradition and maritime interaction with the Gulf dates back to over 4000 years B.C.