INS Talwar arrives at La Reunion, boosts India-France ties to tackle maritime security challenges

The ship will undertake cross-deck visits and interactions with the French Navy during the port visit. Earlier, the ship was kept open for visit by Pravasi Bharatiya on October 27, 2024, the Ministry of Defence said in a press release.

India and France have traditionally enjoyed friendly relations and share a deep, enduring strategic partnership.

INS Talwar was commissioned on June 18, 2003 and is part of the Indian Navy's Western Fleet under the Western Naval Command. The ship is currently commanded by Captain Jithu George. The ship had recently participated in the IBSAMAR VIII multilateral exercise held in South Africa, the release said.

Earlier on September 22, INS Talwar had arrived in Mombasa, Kenya. The visit aimed to strengthen ties further and reaffirm India's commitment to constructive collaboration and mutual growth.

During the ship's stay in the harbour, personnel from both navies engaged in a wide range of professional interactions and cross-exchange visits to enhance cooperation and bolster interoperability.

Notably, INS Talwar gets its name from the traditional sword and is the first of the Talwar class stealth frigates commissioned into the Indian Navy in 2003. INS Talwar has a length of 125 metres and is capable of speeds up to 30 knots.

INS Talwar is equipped with an array of weapons and sensors, which include surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missiles, medium and short-range guns, anti-submarine torpedoes, rockets and an advanced electronic warfare and communication suite, as per the High Commission of India in Nairobi.

The ship is capable of operating the Kamov 31 Airborne Early Warning, Kamov 28 Anti-Submarine Warfare and Chetak Search and Rescue helicopters. This enables the ship to perform a wide variety of roles, which include coastal and offshore patrolling, monitoring of sea lines of communication, maritime diplomacy, counter-terrorism and antipiracy operations. (ANI)