Tuesday, May 26, 2009
India, Saudis hold naval exercise as China quietly projects power in the region
ABU DHABI Ñ India and Saudi Arabia have conducted a rare naval
exercise at a time when China is exerting more influence on the sealanes throughout the Indian Ocean region.
The two Asian navies conducted an exercise in the Red Sea on May 25, Middle East Newsline reported. The
so-called passage exercise, meant to enhance interoperability and enhance
combat skills, included two Indian Navy warships that had docked in the
Saudi port of Jedda.
China is making inroads into areas that traditionally are under India's influence because of New Delhi's failure to adopt a grand strategy in the region, according to an Indian defense specialist, cited in the May 20 edition of East-Asia-Intel.com.
China is building ports, roads and railways the report said and is selling military goods to governments in Myanmar (Burma), Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Indonesia.
"The passage exercise aims to promote greater interoperability and
foster synergy between the two navies by mutual interaction in the practical
aspects of seamanship, ship handling and various other naval solutions,"
Indian Navy Rear Adm. S.P.S. Cheema, commander of the Western Fleet, said.
The Indian Navy vessels in the exercise were identified as the INS Delhi
and the INS Aditya. The two warships have been on a three-day visit to Saudi
Arabia.
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