Three Indian val ships visit Russia

Vladivostok (Russia), June 27: Three Indian val ships — Sahyadri, Shakti and Kirch — arrived here on Monday for a four-day visit to Russia, during which the Indian and Russian val personnel will conduct joint exercises. An Indian vy statement called it a “demonstration of India’s commitment to longstanding India-Russia strategic partnership and Indian vy’s increasing footprint and operatiol reach”.

Vladivostok is an eastern port city located at the head of the Golden Horn Bay, not far from Russia’s borders with Chi and North Korea. The ships are likely to conduct exercises with the Russian vy, aimed at enhancing inter-operability in communication as well as search and rescue procedures, it said.

The ships are under the command of the Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet, Rear Admiral S.V. Bhokare, and will be in Vladivostok till July 1 as part of the deployment of the Eastern Fleet to the South Chi Sea.

During their visit, the personnel aboard the ships will have professiol interactions with Russian val officers and men aimed at enhancing cooperation between the two forces, the statement said. Indian val officers will also call upon senior government and military authorities. Sporting and cultural interactions and sharing of best practices, aimed at strengthening ties and mutual understanding between the two vies, are also planned. “Relations between India and Russia are characterised by the time-tested bonds of friendship based on cooperation and interactions in fields of culture, trade and economy, science and technology and most importantly defence,” the Indian vy statement said. (IANS)