Indian Navy Calls for Expansion of Defensive Cooperation with Iran

[FOX80]

Commander of India’s West Navy Admiral Shekar Sinha underlined the need for the deepening of defense cooperation between the Iranian and the Indian Navies, and said that his force is ready to send a flotilla to Iran.

“The Indian Navy has full readiness to expand relations between the two countries’ navies and sends a flotilla to Bandar Abbas port,” Admiral Sinha said in a meeting with Commander of the Iranian Navy's 28th Flotilla Captain Babak Balouch in Mumbai port on Sunday. He reiterated that the two countries’ navies have a lot of potential for joint cooperation, and said, “We welcome expansion of such collaboration.

Captain Balouch, for his part, briefed Admiral Sinha about the 28th Flotilla’s missions and duties.

Deputy Commander of the Iranian Navy for Operations Rear Admiral Siavash Jarreh announced on Sunday that the Iranian Navy’s 28th Flotilla of warships will leave India’s Mumbai port for Southeast Asia on Monday.“The 28th Flotilla comprising Alborz destroyer, Bandar Abbas helicopter-carrier warship, which is carrying the 212 combat choppers, and the Tareq-class submarine, Younes, will continue its mission towards another important port in Southeast Asia after leaving the Mumbai port,” the Iranian commander said.

The 28th Fleet of the Iranian Navy berthed in Mumbai on Thursday.

Rear Admiral Jarreh underlined that the purpose for dispatching the 28th flotilla is both maintaining the security of shipping lines and conveying the message of peace and friendship to the regional countries, and said, “This is the first presence of Iran’s semi-heavy Younus submarine in the Eastern waters of the Indian Ocean and port of Mumbai in India.”