London:
The Indian Navy’s newest stealth-guided missile frigate, INS Tushil, has london/” title=”Deputy PM of Pakistan Embarks on Exciting Five-Day Visit to London”>arrived in London as part of its inaugural operational mission.
On Sunday, Commodore Robert Bellfield, who oversees the Royal Navy Command for London and Eastern England, formally welcomed the warship on behalf of the British government. Captain Peter Varghese, the ship’s Commanding Officer, was present to receive him.
“It is a privilege to greet INS Tushil here in London for her first international visit. This event symbolizes the strong ties between our naval forces and reflects our nations’ shared interests,” remarked Bellfield during his address.
Sujit Ghosh, India’s Deputy High Commissioner in the UK, also visited the frigate stationed along the River Thames before it embarks on its journey back home Monday evening.
#INSTushil India’s latest guided missile stealth frigate arrived in #London on #21Dec 24 during her maiden voyage to #India highlighting an essential development in enhancing naval collaboration between #IndianNavy and @RoyalNavy.
The visit seeks to bolster bilateral relations and… https://t.co/4ROjrRT8pn pic.twitter.com/g0AdSIvlH6
— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) December 23, 2024
This vessel was constructed in Russia and officially commissioned on December 9 with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh overseeing the event. It set sail from Kaliningrad just days earlier on December 17.
A statement from India’s Ministry of Defence outlined that INS Tushil will navigate through various waters including the Baltic Sea, North Sea, Atlantic Ocean and eventually into the Indian Ocean while making stops at several allied nations along its route.
“The initial deployment of INS Tushil will encompass core responsibilities for the Indian Navy such as diplomatic initiatives as well as military coordination efforts,” stated officials from the ministry. The frigate will also engage in joint patrols and maritime partnership exercises with multiple navies throughout its journey that also encompasses regions known for piracy challenges.”
While docked at foreign ports, INS Tushil plans to participate in capacity-building activities alongside local navies and hold discussions with high-ranking military personnel as well as government officials. Additionally, these interactions aim to strengthen connections with members of India’s diaspora residing within these regions.
The Ministry emphasized that these port visits and collaborative exercises are geared toward enhancing India’s maritime partnerships with neighboring littoral states while underscoring Indian Navy’s promise towards safeguarding maritime safety across international waters.
(This article has been prepared independently by NDTV staff based solely on a syndicated source.)
