Indian Navy vessels, INS Visakhapatnam and INS Trikand, led by Rear Admiral Vineet McCarty, Commanding Officer of the Western Fleet, have docked at Port Rashid in Dubai. They are here to participate in the ‘Zayed Talwar’ bilateral exercise, bolstering cooperation between the two navies.
During their stay from August 8 to August 11, Captain Ashok Rao and Captain Pramod G Thomas will respectively command INS Visakhapatnam and INS Trikand.
The Ministry of Defence’s official statement emphasized that these ships will engage in professional exchanges with the UAE Naval Force, covering various aspects of maritime operations.
This visit seeks to reinforce maritime collaboration and comprehension of regional security challenges.
The Indian Navy’s presence in Dubai aims to enhance cooperative engagement and maritime cooperation with neighboring nations.
The ships’ deployment aligns with India’s pursuit of fostering cooperative relationships in the maritime domain.
The Indian Embassy in the UAE highlighted the ships’ arrival on Twitter, emphasizing the exercise’s purpose of sharing best practices and strengthening naval synergies.
The bilateral relationship between India and the UAE has a rich history, marked by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pivotal visit in 2015, which laid the foundation for a strategic partnership.
Over time, defense interactions between India and the UAE have grown in tandem with other diplomatic aspects.
Regular exchanges at high and functional levels have strengthened the bond, with naval vessels frequently making port calls to deepen bilateral defense cooperation.