India, UAE Naval Exercise In March

The first-ever extensive naval exercises by Indian and UAE navies will be held by the end of March next year, a top Indian naval officer said on Saturday evening as two Indian naval ships arrived Abu Dhabi.

Two Indian naval ships, INS Teg and INS Trikand arrived at Zayed Port in Abu Dhabi on Saturday on a four-day visit to enhance strategic relationship and strengthen defence cooperation between India and the UAE.

The ships showcase India’s achievements in maritime capabilities and will provide opportunity of cooperation between the friendly navies of the two countries.

Speaking onboard at INS Trikand, Vice-Admiral Girish Luthra said: “The relationship between India and the UAE and its navies are growing from strength to strength. We are going to hold the first-ever bilateral exercises by Indian and UAE navies by the end of March.”

“We have done passage exercises in past but this will be the full-fledged bilateral exercise that the two navies will undertake. We look forward to strengthening our cooperation,” Luthra said.

Details of exercise have already been agreed and worked out between two sides, he said.

The current visit of the ships seeks to underscore Indian navy’s peaceful presence in the Gulf and strengthen the existing bonds of friendship between India and UAE.

Navdeep Singh Suri, Indian ambassador to the UAE, said: “Indian naval ships’ visit to the UAE indicate the importance that India attaches to the strategic partnership with the UAE. When we signed the comprehensive strategic partnership agreement with the UAE, we knew that defence cooperation is going to be a key component of this relationship.”

“The reason is that India’s stature as maritime power has grown. There is also a recognition that UAE and India are neighbours and ties between the two countries are historical which are reflected prominently over the sea and land,” Suri said.

“We had talks with our UAE partners in defence and maritime security sectors on how to take this relationship forward. The first-ever naval exercise would be a major step in that direction,” the ambassador said.

Capabilies of ships

INS TEG

The INS Teg is a stealth frigate capable of undertaking multi-dimensional warfare, procured from Russia between 2003-2004. The ship was commissioned on April 27, 2012. The ship has a staff of 25 officers and 220 sailors.

INS Teg has added teeth to the Western Fleet, aptly termed as the ‘Sword Arm’ of the Indian Navy. The ship has advanced technologies incorporated in every facet of design to make it stealthy, fast and formidable.

The ship’s weaponry includes ‘state-of-the-art’ surface to surface and surface to air missiles, a high calibre gun, anti-submarine torpedoes and rockets. This is complemented by an advanced sensor suite, combat management system and an integral Airborne Early Warning Helicopter, the Kamov 31.

TRIKAND

‘Trikand’ is a Sanskrit word which literally means ‘three headed’ and refers to a three headed arrow used with a bow. The ship is capable to deter any threat from air, surface and underwater.

INS Trikand, a Teg class Guided Missile frigate was commissioned into the Indian Navy at Kaliningrad, Russia on June 29, 2013. Equipped with a versatile range of weapons and sensors, it can address threats from air, surface and sub-surface. The ship is further augmented with the latest stealth features like reduced radar, infrared, magnetic and acoustic signatures, which makes it difficult to be detected by the enemy.

Source Link: http://m.gulfnews.com/news/uae/transport/india-uae-naval-exercise-in-march-1.2146034

Author: sarkarimirror