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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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The contribution by the Royal Saudi Naval Forces to the exercise was not reported. Over the last three years, Saudi Arabia has been quietly expanding military cooperation with India, a longtime rival of Pakistan. Islamabad has been regarded as the closest strategic ally of Riyad.

During the Indian visit, Cheema met his Saudi counterpart, Rear Adm. Abdullah Al Sultan. No details were reported.

"Defense cooperation has been mutually identified as a prominent avenue for promoting bilateral ties," Cheema said. "Both nations have been increasingly interacting with each other's armed forces over the last few years."

The Royal Saudi Naval Forces has been a participant in the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium, a security initiative launched in 2006. In July 2008, the Saudi Navy conducted its first visit to India when the HMS Dammam and the HMS Yanbu docked in Mumbai.

India has sought to expand defense cooperation with Saudi Arabia as well as other Gulf Cooperation Council states. Officials said New Dehli has offered to maintain and upgrade GCC fleets.

"The visiting ships are testimony to these [Indian naval] capabilities," Cheema said.



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