A guided missile stealth frigate has arrived for a visit aimed at strengthening naval ties between India and the UK.
INS Trishul, one of the Indian Navy’s front-line warships, is making a scheduled port call at HM Naval Base Devonport ahead of planned exercises at sea.
Its crew will take part in professional visits, visits aboard each other’s ships and social exchanges with Royal Navy personnel. The programme is intended to share working practices and help the two forces become more familiar with each other’s operations.
After the harbour phase, INS Trishul is scheduled to conduct exercises with Fleet Operational Standards and Training, known as FOST, and other units. These will cover advanced seamanship manoeuvres, communication procedures and joint tactical exercises.
Captain Iain Richie, captain of the base, said: “It is a great pleasure to welcome INS Trishul to HMNB Devonport.
“My connection with India goes back several years to my time as one of the MOD’s India Desk Officers, working closely with our Indian counterparts to strengthen the enduring relationship between our two nations.
“That relationship has continued to grow through initiatives such as the Indian Exchange Officer programme at Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, and this visit represents another important milestone in that partnership.”
Iain added: “As INS Trishul continues her deployment with exercises alongside Royal Navy and NATO allies, her presence in Devonport provides a visible demonstration of the close cooperation, shared values and mutual commitment to maritime security that underpin our defence relationship.
“We are delighted to host the ship and wish them every success in the days ahead.”
INS Trishul is the second of the Indian Navy’s Talwar-class stealth frigates and carries a range of weapons and sensors.
The ship is on a long-range overseas mission that began in the Western Indian Ocean and extends to the Mediterranean region and North Atlantic.
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