AL-MOHED AL-HINDI 2021 exercise between India & Saudi Arabia

India and Saudi Indian is all set to conduct their first ever naval exercise called “AL-MOHED AL-HINDI 2021”.

Highlights

• To participate in the exercise, India’s guided-missile destroyer INS Kochi reached Saudi Arabia.
• The joint naval exercise will showcase the reflection of growing defence and military cooperation between India and Saudi Arabia.
• INS Kochi reached to Saudi Arabia after conducting a naval exercise with the UAE Navy off the coast of Abu Dhabi.

Harbour phase of the exercise

Harbour phase of the Al-Mohed Al-Hindi 2021 exercise started on August 9, 2021. Sea-based drills started from August 11. After INS Kochi arrived at the Jubail port, it was given a warm welcome by officials of Royal Saudi naval forces.

Significance of the exercise

The joint naval exercise is taking place amid increasing tension in the Gulf region following a drone attack on the merchant tanker off Oman that killed a British national and Romanian citizen. United Kingdom and United States accused Iran for carrying the attack on MV Mercer Street.

INS Kochi

It is the second ship of Kolkata-class stealth guided-missile destroyers. It was built for Indian Navy under the code name Project 15A. The ship was constructed by Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) in Mumbai and commissioned to Indian Navy service in September 2015. This ship is classified as a ‘Network of Networks’ since it is equipped with sophisticated digital networks, sophisticated array of state of art weapons and sensors that can neutralise any threat from air, sea and underwater.

Month: Current Affairs - August, 2021