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The Indian Navy's INS Tamal, the eighth ship of the Talwar-class stealth frigates, and INS Surat, the latest indigenously constructed guided-missile destroyer of the Indian Navy, arrived at Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively.
During the port call, the crew will engage with the Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF) and Border Guards through sports fixtures, familiarisation with naval facilities and discussions towards fostering Indo-Saudi Arabian relations, according to the Ministry of Defence. The Indian side will host a cultural exchange for senior dignitaries of the RSNF, Border Guards, diplomats, prominent members of the diaspora and local government officials, the ministry added. Further, the defence ministry noted that "the visit underscores India's commitment to strengthening defence collaboration and friendly ties with Saudi Arabia. It will also provide an opportunity for both navies to share Best Practices and explore avenues for further engagement." On Thursday, India and Saudi Arabia held the 7th meeting of the Joint Committee on Defence Cooperation (JCDC) in New Delhi, which was co-chaired by Joint Secretary Amitabh Prasad from the Indian side and Staff Maj Gen Saad Mohammed H Alkathiri from the Saudi side. "Both sides reiterated their commitment to further strengthening bilateral defence cooperation and expressed happiness on the execution of most of the significant decisions taken during the previous JCDC meeting", according to the Ministry of Defence. "With a view to strengthen defence ties and explore new avenues of collaboration, the two countries held discussions in areas such as training cooperation, industrial partnerships, maritime cooperation and military exercises," the ministry added. Both sides discussed their respective training capabilities and requirements. Further, the ministry highlighted that, "India offered to provide training to the Saudi Armed Forces and discussed cooperation in Cyber, IT, disaster management & tactical communication." "The Indian side highlighted India's growing prowess in defence manufacturing and showcased Made-in-India state-of-the-art equipment. Opportunities were explored for joint manufacturing and partnership in defence equipment with Saudi Arabia. The co-chairs expressed satisfaction on the successful conduct of the Navy and Army Staff Talks this year and agreed to continue with the deliberations," the ministry stated. India and Saudi Arabia share a steadily deepening defence partnership. This is reflected in the establishment of a Ministerial Committee on Defence Cooperation under the Strategic Partnership Council during the Prime Minister's visit to Saudi Arabia in April 2025, the ministry added. (ANI)
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