From rxpgnews.com
Indian Navy to hold exercise with international navies
By IANS,
Mar 29, 2007 - 8:44:49 PM
New Delhi, March 29 - A flotilla of five frontline Indian Navy ships is sailing towards southeast and east Asia during which they will exercise with regional navies as well as those from China, Russia and the US.
Led by the Indian Navy's eastern fleet commander Rear Admiral R.K. Dhowan, the flotilla comprises the guided missile destroyers Mysore, Rana, and Ranjit, the guided missile corvette Kuthar, and the tanker Jyoti.
During the two-month deployment March 18-May 23, the ships will call at a number of ports in the region 'to spread the message of goodwill, present a microcosmic mosaic of India, and build bridges of friendship with India's littoral neighbours,' the Indian Navy assistant chief Rear Admiral Pradeep Chauhan said.
'The deployment is an intrinsic part of the ongoing effort at constructive engagement being undertaken by the Indian Navy in concert with other instruments and mechanisms of the nation's diplomacy,' he added.
During the deployment, the Indian Navy will engage with its US counterparts April 6-11 off Japan, with the Chinese Navy off Quingdao April 12-17, and with the Russian Navy off Vladivostok April 22-26.
This apart, the Indian ships will also exercise with the navies of Singapore, the Philippines, and Vietnam, as also the Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force.
'The port calls and the opportunities to engage and exercise with the navies of the region would enable the Indian Navy to gain and share operational and doctrinal expertise and transformational experiences, examine and imbibe international best practices, promote inter-operability, and enhance maritime domain awareness,' Chauhan maintained.
With the first of the exercises, named SIMBEX, just concluded with the Singapore Navy, the Indian ships are now heading for the MALABAR series with vessels of the US Pacific Command.
This will be conducted in two phases, with the first April 6-11 off the Japanese island of Okinawa and the other on dates that are yet to be determined.
The fleet will then split, with one group of two destroyers heading for Quindgao and the other vessels undertaking a daylong trilateral exercise with Japanese and US forces off Yokosuka.
The Indian ships will then regroup and sail to Vladivostok and on the return leg exercise with the navies of the Philippines and Vietnam.
Two ships, Mysore and Kultar, will thereafter proceed to Singapore to participate in the biennial International Maritime Defence Exhibition - May 15-19.
'This would provide us with an opportunity to showcase our shipbuilding capability through these ships that are designed and built indigenously, as also our ability to align and keep pace with the rapid technological advances in the field of military hardware and systems,' Chauhan maintained.
The Indian Navy chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta and his counterparts from 22 nations will also attend IMDEX-2007.
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