LONDON, Dec 23 : INS Tushil, the latest multi-role stealth guided missile frigate of the Indian Navy, has docked in London on its first port of call during its maiden operational deployment.
Commodore Robert Bellfield, Royal Navy Commander London and Eastern England, received the Indian Navy warship on behalf of UK government on Sunday. He was received by Captain Peter Varghese, the Commanding Officer of the ship.
“An honour to welcome INS Tushil to London, for her first foreign visit. This occasion is a demonstration of the close relationship between the Indian Navy and the Royal Navy, our two nations, and our shared interests,” said Bellfield.
India’s Deputy High Commissioner to the UK, Sujit Ghosh, also paid a visit to the warship docked on the river Thames before it departs on Monday evening.
The ship, built in Russia and commissioned on December 9 in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, set sail from Kaliningrad on December 17.
According to a Ministry of Defence statement, the ship will traverse the Baltic Sea, the North Sea, the Atlantic Ocean, and finally, the Indian Ocean, making port calls at several friendly foreign countries along the way.
“The maiden deployment of INS Tushil would involve key charter of Indian Navy, namely, Diplomatic, military, and constabulary activities. The ship will carry out joint patrolling and maritime partnership exercises with a number of navies en route, including piracy hotspots in the region,” the ministry said.
During port calls, the ship will undertake capability-building activities with host Navies and hold interactions with senior military and government leadership. The port calls will also serve to engage with the Indian diaspora spread across the region.
The ministry added INS Tushil’s port calls and exercises are aimed at consolidating India’s maritime cooperation with littoral countries of the region and reinforcing Indian Navy’s commitment to protecting and safeguarding the seafaring community. (PTI)
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