Press Release
EMBASSY OF INDIA
DOHA
PRESS RELEASE
Visit of Indian Navy’s Western Fleet Ships INS Delhi and
INS Trishul to Qatar (14-17 September, 2015)
In the framework of the excellent relations and multi-faceted and growing cooperation between India and the State of Qatar, two warships of Indian Navy’s Western Fleet, INS Delhi and INS Trishul will be making a goodwill visit to Qatar from 14-17 September, 2015.
Indian Naval Ships Deepak, Delhi, Tabar and Trishul are on a month-long deployment to the GCC region to enhance bilateral ties and engage in naval exercises with friendly regional navies. The visiting ships form part of the Indian Navy’s Western Fleet and are based at Mumbai.
The Embassy deeply appreciates the support of the Government of Qatar and Qatar Emiri Navy in arranging the visit of Indian Naval ships.
India has an ancient maritime tradition and maritime interaction with the Gulf dating back to over 4000 years B.C. The Indian Navy has multi-dimensional capability comprising aircraft carriers, modern ships, submarines, aircraft and marine commandos. A notable feature of the Indian Navy’s force structure is the fact that the overwhelming majority of its ships are designed and constructed in India.
The Indian Navy has close and friendly ties with all navies in the Gulf and has been regularly exercising with many of them. The Indian Navy is also privileged to provide training and hydrographic support to several navies in the region. The involvement of Indian Naval ships in combating piracy off the coast of Somalia since October, 2008 has further strengthened bilateral ties and interactions with navies in the region.
During the visit, the warships will have professional interactions for enhancing cooperation and sharing the nuances of naval operations including disaster management and combating maritime threats of terrorism and piracy. Apart from professional interactions, sports and social engagements are also planned, which are aimed at enhancing friendship and cooperation between the Navies.
Bilateral relations between India and Qatar have traditionally focussed on economic and people-to-people linkages. The last decade has witnessed steady growth in the defence relations between the two countries, which was further strengthened by the Defence Cooperation Agreement signed in November, 2008. The setting up of the India-Qatar Joint Defence Cooperation Committee (JDCC) has enhanced cooperation in the fields of training, strategic study, conduct of exercises and information sharing. JDCC has held four meetings so far; its last meeting was held in New Delhi on 6 January, 2015.
The growing naval cooperation between India and Qatar is further demonstrated by the increased high level visits in addition to training of naval officers and port visits by naval ships. India and Qatar are also members of the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS), a voluntary and cooperative initiative among 35 countries of the Indian Ocean Region, which has served as a highly useful forum for sharing of information and cooperation on maritime issues.
The visit of INS Delhi and INS Trishul would further strengthen the deep-rooted bonds of friendship between India and Qatar, and defence cooperation between the two countries.
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