INS Sumedha Arrives In Abu Dhabi For IDEX & NAVDEX, To Showcase India's Ship Building Strength

The Indian Naval Ship 'Sumedha' arrived in Abu Dhabi, UAE, on Monday to participate in two key regional naval and defence exhibitions aimed at promoting India's indigenous shipbuilding capabilities.

The Indian Naval Ship 'Sumedha' landed in Abu Dhabi, UAE, on Monday to take part in the NAVDEX 23 (Naval Defence Exhibition) and IDEX 23 (International Defence Exhibition), both of which are slated to take place from February 20 to 24, an official statement by the Ministry of Defence said on Monday. 

According to the statement, the ship's participation in two important regional naval and defence exhibits will promote the strengths of India's indigenous shipbuilding and underscore the Prime Minister's vision of 'Aatma Nirbhar Bharat'.

The Indian Navy commissioned INS Sumedha, the third ship of the indigenously manufactured Saryu class Naval Offshore Patrol Vessels (NOPV), on March 7, 2014. She is equipped with an outstanding array of armaments and sensors, can carry an integrated helicopter, and has a long endurance. It was built in Goa Shipyard Limited, as stated in the statement. 

The ship is a highly capable vessel that can be deployed for a variety of operational duties, and it demonstrates the potential of the Indian shipbuilding industry. Its presence in a high-profile event hosted by the UAE underlines India and the UAE's close strategic and cultural ties, the statement said. 

"Defence relations between the two countries were elevated to a 'Comprehensive Strategic Partnership' during the visit of then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and current President of the UAE, Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, as Chief Guest at the Republic Day celebrations in January 2017," according to the statement. 

In June 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit the UAE for the fourth time to elevate the relationship to a greater level, the ministry said. 

As stated in the statement, the first edition of the Indian Navy-UAE Navy bilateral exercise, Zayed Talwar, was held in March 2018 to improve interoperability between the two fleets, with the last edition scheduled for August 2021. To promote maritime relations, Indian naval ships have made regular port calls in the UAE. "Sumedha's deployment to Abu Dhabi is a step in the same direction," the statement read.