RIYADH: Two warships from India — INS Delhi and INS Trishul — have arrived on a goodwill mission at Jubail Port on Thursday.
“The frequent goodwill missions of Indian naval ships to Saudi Arabia are not only a manifestation of close collaboration between the naval forces of the two countries but also a reflection of close ties,” said Hemant Kotalwar, charge d’affaires at the Indian Embassy in Riyadh.
“The ships have state-of-the-art facilities, added capabilities and all high-tech components to boost the defense of India,” he added.
The ships are part of the western fleet of four warships — Deepak, Delhi, Tabar and Trishul — which are on a month-long deployment to the Gulf to engage in naval exercises with friendly regional navies.
The two warships will be docked in Jubail till Sept. 13, during which the vessels will have professional interactions to enhance cooperation in areas of disaster management and maritime terrorism.
Apart from professional interactions, sports and social engagements are also planned to enhance cooperation and understanding between the two navies. “The Indian Navy has close and friendly ties with all navies in the Gulf and has been regularly exercising with many of them,” said a report published recently.
“India and Saudi Arabia have always maintained close and friendly relations,” it added.
The Saudi-Indian relations are sustained and nourished through growing bilateral trade, cooperation in the fields of energy, scientific and cultural exchanges and security cooperation. Moreover, Indians are the largest expatriate community in Saudi Arabia with their total number currently exceeding 2.7 million.
On the commercial front, Saudi Arabia has emerged as a major partner for India on a whole range of issues. Recently, in a sign of burgeoning defense ties between the two nations, a contingent of Indian Air Force fighter aircraft landed in Saudi Arabia for the first time. On a previous occasion, Saudi Arabia’s help was crucial when India wanted to evacuate its 6,000 citizens from war-torn Yemen.

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