Indian Naval Ship Sumedha arrived at Abu Dhabi, UAE on 20 Feb 2023 to participate in NAVDEX 23 (Naval Defence Exhibition) and IDEX 23 (International Defence Exhibition), scheduled from 20 to 24 Feb 2023. The ship’s participation in two leading regional naval and defence exhibitions will showcase the strengths of India’s indigenous ship building and underscore the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Aatma Nirbhar Bharat’.
INS Sumedha is the third ship of the indigenously built Saryu class Naval Offshore Patrol Vessels (NOPV) and was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 07 Mar 2014. Built indigenously at Goa Shipyard Limited, she is fitted with an impressive array of weapons and sensors, can carry an integral helicopter and boasts of long endurance. A highly potent platform that can be deployed for a variety of operational missions, she bears testimony to the capabilities of the Indian ship building industry. Her participation in a marquee event conducted by UAE also highlights the close strategic and cultural relations between India and UAE.
Defence relations between the two nations were elevated to a ‘Comprehensive Strategic Partnership’ during the visit of then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and present President of UAE, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in January 2017 as Chief Guest at the Republic Day celebrations. Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, visited UAE for the fourth time in June 2022 to advance the elevate the relationship to a higher pedestal.
To enhance interoperability between the two navies, the inaugural edition of Indian Navy-UAE Navy bilateral exercise, Zayed Talwar, was conducted in March 2018, with the last edition being in August 2021. Indian Naval ships have made regular port calls at UAE to promote maritime cooperation. The Deployment of the Sumedha to Abu Dhabi is a step in the same direction.