The trainees would also be familiarised with sail training onboard the sail training ship of 1TS….reports Asian Lite News
In another sign of the growing defence cooperation between the two nations, 76 trainees of King Fahad Naval Academy of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF) joined the First Training Squadron, 1TS of the Indian Navy at Southern Naval Command, Kochi on Monday (June 24, 2024).
They will attend a four-week long training programme.
“The training curriculum ranges from basic seamanship activities to simulator-based training during the harbour phase, whereas the sea phase focuses on practical exposure to nuances of life at sea,” India’s Ministry of Defence said on Wednesday (June 26, 2024).
The trainees would also be familiarised with sail training onboard the sail training ship of 1TS.
The afloat attachment of RSNF trainees is being conducted alongside Indian Naval trainees of 107 Integrated Officers Training Course (IOTC) fostering camaraderie and mutual understanding between the trainees of both maritime nations.
“The bilateral training cooperation between the two Navies is a testimony to longstanding friendship and shared commitment between India and Saudi Arabia,” the Ministry of Defence said.
It may be recalled that RSNF Chief of Staff Admiral Fahad Abdullah S Al-Ghofaily had visited Southern Naval Command in January this year during his official visit to India.
During his four-day visit from January 10, 2024, the Saudi Naval Chief engaged in high-level discussions with his Indian counterpart, Admiral R Hari Kumar. According to the Ministry of Defence, the meeting, held in New Delhi, focused on collaborative mechanisms and measures to further strengthen Navy-to-Navy cooperation.
The Indian Navy and the Royal Saudi Naval Forces have cultivated a robust partnership, underpinned by various initiatives, including operational interactions such as the bilateral naval exercise ‘Al Mohed Al Hindi’.
The second edition of Exercise ‘Al Mohed Al Hindi 23’ between the Indian Navy and the Royal Saudi Naval Force (RSNF), held from May 23-25, 2023 off Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia, reinforced the growing defence ties between the two nations. The first edition of the exercise was conducted in 2021. (India News Netowrk)
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