Three Indian warships on four-day visit to Kuwait

Three Indian warships -- INS Delhi, Tarkash and Deepak under the Command of the Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet, Rear Admiral Ravneet Singh -- reached Kuwait on Wednesday on a four-day visit to the Gulf state.

During the visit, the Indian Naval officers and sailors would undertake professional interactions with the Kuwait Naval Force pertaining to nuances of maritime operations, including means of combating maritime terrorism and piracy, an official press release said.

In addition, they would call on senior Government and military authorities, hold sporting and cultural interactions and share best practices, aimed at enhancing cooperation and strengthening mutual understanding between the two navies, it said.

The visiting Indian Navy ships are also likely to conduct exercises with the Kuwait Naval Force.

Bilateral relations between India and Kuwait have been traditionally friendly based on strong foundations of cultural affinity and trade links dating back to ancient times. These have been strengthened in recent times by a vibrant economic relationship and growing convergence on security issues.

Indians are the largest expatriate community in Kuwait. High level visits in the recent past have provided further impetus to our strong bilateral relationship, the release said.

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Defence cooperation between the two countries has been steadily growing through high level visits, training exchanges and port visits by naval ships. India and Kuwait are also members of Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS), a voluntary and co-operative initiative between 30 countries of the Indian Ocean Region, which has served as a forum for sharing of information and cooperation on maritime issues.

Indian Naval Ships Delhi, Deepak, Trishul and Tabar last visited Kuwait in September 2015. A delegation from the Kuwait Naval Force participated in the recently concluded International Fleet Review at Visakhapatnam.

The current visit will further bolster the strong bonds of friendship between India and Kuwait and contribute significantly to security and stability in this vital part of the Indian Ocean Region, the release said.

INS Delhi, an indigenous guided missile destroyer, is commanded by Capt Sandeep Singh Sandhu, INS Tarkash, a stealth frigate, is commanded by Capt Pradeep Singh and INS Deepak, fleet replenishment tanker, is commanded by Capt Sujit Kumar Chhetri.

NNN