NEW DELHI (CU)_India has joined a two-day joint navy exercise launched by the Iranian and Russian forces in the northern part of the Indian Ocean.
Accordingly, a selected group of vessels belonging to the Indian navy joined vessels from the Russian navy, as well as forces and vessels from the navy divisions of both the Iranian army and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), in the drill which kicked off on Tuesday (Feb 16).
Making the announcement, Iran’s Navy Chief Rear Admiral Hossein Khanzadi hailed India as “one of the powerful naval forces in the region.” He added that the Chinese navy will also participate in the operation, similar to the exercises conducted by Tehran, Moscow and Beijing in 2019.
According to Khanzadi, the purpose of the exercise is to “ensure collective security in the region and in the northern Indian Ocean.”
He said that despite the conflicts that have prevailed between the countries in the region, this naval exercise shows that the naval powers in the Indian Ocean are increasingly coming together to ensure their collective security. “It means that global arrogance which until today dominated the region must realise that it needs to leave it,” he said.
Meanwhile, Admiral Gholamreza Tahani, spokesman of the drill, claimed that the flexibility of the operation makes it easy for regional countries to join the exercise. “The exercise we’re conducting with Russia is so flexible that not only one other country, but several others could join in later if they wish to do so,” he said.
According to Tahani, the exercise is led by the all-Iranian frigate Jamaran, while Iranian and Russian navy helicopters provide air monitoring and support.
The operation, which will cover an area of 17,000 square kilometres (6,500 square miles), includes shooting at sea, air targets and liberating hijacked ships, as well as anti-piracy and search and rescue operations.
