Indian warships are currently participating in the first naval exercise with Saudi Arabia, reflecting the growing defense ties between the two countries following the Indian Army chief’s first visit to Saudi Arabia last year. The flagship destroyer of the Indian Western Naval Fleet, INS Kochi, arrived at Port Al-Jubail on Monday for Al-Mohed Al-Hindi 2021. After conducting the ‘Zayed Talwar’ exercise with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) off the coast of Abu Dhabi, the warship sailed to Saudi Arabia.
Gen MM Naravane, chief of the Indian Army, was the first Indian chief of service to visit Riyadh in December last year, which significantly boosted the defense and military ties between India and Saudi Arabia. On the same tour, Naravane also visited the UAE. As part of the Al-Mohed Al-Hindi exercise, the harbor phase began on Monday, with the Indian embassy saying it ‘heralds a new chapter in bilateral defense ties’. Indian embassy officials, the Border Guards, and members of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces welcomed INS Kochi at the port. Al-Mohed Al-Hindi involves a number of land and sea-based drills between the two navies.
The Indian warship will adhere to all Covid-19 protocols laid down by Saudi authorities during its stay in Jubail port. In 2019, India and Saudi Arabia began planning their first naval exercise, but the move was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Though the Indian Navy held a few minor exercises during the pandemic, plans for larger drills have recently been revived. Later this month, ships from India, Australia, Japan and the US – the members of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue or Quad – will participate in the Malabar exercise in the Western Pacific.
In addition to the exercises, there is growing tension in the Persian Gulf following the drone attack on the MV Mercer Street off Oman that killed a Briton and a Romanian citizen. The UAE fielded a guided missile corvette and a Panther helicopter in the exercise with INS Kochi. In order to enhance interoperability, the two sides conducted tactical maneuvers, search and rescue operations, and an electronic warfare drill.
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Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria, the chief of the Indian Air Force, had visited the UAE a week earlier. The visit of INS Kochi, an indigenously designed and built stealth-guided missile destroyer, also offers a chance for India to showcase its shipbuilding capabilities in West Asia. Stealth is a key component of the warship’s design as well as indigenous combat suites. A unique feature of the warship is its level of indigenization, with most of its systems sourced from India. On INS Kochi, indigenous systems include the electronic warfare suite and the ship’s stabilizers.
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