INDIA. Mumbai: An 11-member U.S. Congressional Staffers’ delegation, accompanied by Vishal J Das, Deputy Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, visited Headquarters, Western Naval Command, Mumbai, on Thursday.
The delegation interacted with Vice Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOC-in-C), Western Naval Command, and other senior officers from Western Naval Command.
The visiting delegation was given a presentation on the roles, responsibilities, and activities of Western Naval Command, including a tour of the latest indigenous stealth-guided missile destroyer, INS Mormugao.
“The delegation also visited Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd. (MDL), where they were apprised of the indigenous shipbuilding capability of MDL,” the official statement read.
Naval cooperation between the two nations has grown substantially over a wide canvas that includes the annual bilateral exercise “MALABAR”, multilateral exercise, the Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC), Special Forces exercise ‘SANGAM’, Tri-Service Amphibious Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) exercise “TIGER TRIUMPH”, International Maritime Exercise (IMX), high-level delegation visits, Subject Matter Expert Exchange (SMEE), and goodwill visits by naval ships.
“India and the US are also parties to the Maritime Security Dialogue, which is conducted annually. Both navies are committed to ensuring maritime security in the Indian Ocean region, where cooperation in the maritime domain is the most enduring and key facet of the engagement. The current visit by the US Congressional Staffers delegation symbolises the growing cooperation between the two countries,” the statement said.
Agniveers
In the meantime, Vice Admiral Tripathi embarked on the Western Fleet to review its preparedness. During the embarkation, he also had the opportunity to interact with the Agniveers at sea.
Men and women “Agniveers” of the Indian Navy are currently undergoing attachment onboard frontline warships, post Passing Out Parade at INS Chilka, Odisha, on March 28. The excitement of the young minds is profound, with trainers, mentors, and counsellors training them to serve the nation with pride. Post completion of the afloat phase of training, these Agniveers will undergo professional training at various schools of the Navy.
Also Read: Maiden Passing out Parade of “Agniveers” of the First Batch Held at INS Chilka
