INS Trikand today reached Istanbul on a three-day visit to Turkey as a part of overseas deployment.
INS Trikand, a stealth frigate of Indian Navy, today reached Istanbul on a three-day visit to Turkey as a part of overseas deployment to West Asia, Africa and Europe to build bridges of friendship.
During her stay in Istanbul, the ship will engage extensively with Turkish Navy.
Indian naval ships are regularly deployed as part of the Indian Navy's mission of building bridges of friendship and strengthening international cooperation with friendly countries as well as to address maritime concerns of the region, including piracy in the Gulf of Aden, a Naval statement said.
The Indian Navy has also been involved in capacity building and capability enhancement of friendly navies in the Indian Ocean Region, besides providing assistance in hydrographic survey, search and rescue and improving maritime domain awareness.
India and Turkey share deep historical connections. The bilateral relations have been strengthened by exchange of visits by leaders of both countries in recent times.
The current visit seeks to underscore India's peaceful presence and solidarity with friendly countries and to strengthen the existing bonds between India and Turkey, the statement said.
Bilateral naval relations are expected to strengthen further due to the planned visit of a Turkish warship for the International Fleet Review at Visakhapatnam in February next year.
INS Trikand, commanded by Captain Vinay Kalia, is a sophisticated warship equipped with a versatile range of weapons and sensors capable of addressing threats in all the three dimensions -- air, surface and sub-surface.