Saudi Arabian Naval Warships to Dock in Mumbai July-End
Dated 25/7/2008
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In keeping with its policy to build maritime bridges with countries in the region, India will be hosting two Saudi Arabian warships in its waters from July 28 to 31.
Al Dammam, a modified French La Fayette-class stealth frigate, and Yanbou, a modified American Durance-class warship, will dock at Mumbai next week, in what will be the first-ever such naval visit to India by Saudi Arabian warships. Apart from their crew, the two warships will be ferrying 76 cadets from Saudi Arabia's prestigious Al Fahd Naval College.
"In the course of the visit, a high-level interaction between the navies of the two countries will take place," said navy spokesperson Commander Nirad Sinha. The Saudi Arabian officers and cadets are likely to visit some of the Indian navy’s frontline warships like Talwar-class stealth frigates and Rajput-class guided-missile destroyers, apart from other defence establishments.
In recent years, the Indian navy has developed "a very close and operational" relationship with the Saudi Arabian navy, with several of its warships making regular port calls and visits to the Arab nation.
