Indian Navy’s First Training Squadron – INS Tir and ICGS Veera (an offshore patrol vessel) has completed its long range training deployment to Manama, Bahrain.
During the port call, the two sides held discussions on regional maritime security challenges and avenues for future collaboration in training and operations.
Interactions at US Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) focussed on strengthening maritime cooperation and reinforcing strategic partnership between the Indian Navy and other maritime forces in the region.
Further, visits were organised on board First Training Squadron (1TS) ships for Bahrain Defence Forces, CMF and Naval personnel from other friendly foreign nations, enabling understanding of common operating procedures paving way for collaborative exercises in the future.
A community outreach activity was also undertaken and an official reception was hosted on board 1TS for the delegates of Embassy of India, Bahrain Defence Forces and other military & civilian dignitaries and members of the Indian diaspora.
Experts believe that the successful completion of the visit by ships of 1TS reaffirms strong maritime ties between the two navies.
While the visit of Indian navy’s contingent to Bahrain clearly hints at the strengthening defence relations between the two countries, experts say that these interactions play a key role in consolidating gains in Naval cooperation and keeping the existing partnerships between both Navies.
Specially over the recent years, bilateral cooperation between India and Bahrain has seen exponential growth in existing frameworks of cooperation and further expanded across a wide spectrum of new areas opening up new possibilities, both at bilateral as well as global level.
By global, it is meant that in today’s time, India-Bahrain bilateral cooperation has gone multi-sectoral which includes covering trade and investment, defence and security, science and technology, agriculture and health.
Time to time exchange of high-level political visits have also provided sustained momentum to bilateral cooperation, while the wide-ranging and continuously expanding dialogue architecture has further established a long-term framework for India with Bahrain.
