New Delhi: The Indian Navy delegation led by Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta, the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command and three warships of the Indian Navy participated in the maiden International Fleet Review (IFR) hosted by Bangladesh at Cox’s Bazar on December 7, informed the government on Friday.

According to the Ministry of Defence, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina reviewed the International Fleet comprising ships from Bangladesh Navy and eight ships from six foreign countries.

“With three ships, the Indian Navy contingent was the largest amongst the participating foreign navies in this IFR. The other five participating ships were from China, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand and the USA,” the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.

The three ships representing the Indian Navy, the Guided Missile Destroyer INS Kochi, Anti-Submarine Warfare Corvette INS Kavaratti and Offshore Patrol Vessel Sumedha are all indigenously designed and constructed warships. The presence of these ships at this multinational event in Bangladesh contributed towards showcasing the indigenous shipbuilding capabilities of Indian Shipyards.

On the sidelines of the IFR, VAdm B Dasgupta called on Admiral M Shaheen Iqbal, the Chief of Naval Staff of Bangladesh Navy. He also held bilateral interactions with heads of delegations from Iran, Maldives, Myanmar, RoK and the USA.

This was the first International Fleet Review to be hosted by Bangladesh. The IFR complements the celebrations of 50 years of liberation of Bangladesh and the ‘Swarnim Vijay Varsh’ as well as the ‘Maitri Diwas’ celebrated on 06 December every year, marking the establishment of formal diplomatic relations between India and Bangladesh.

The presence of the Indian Navy at the maiden International Fleet Review (IFR) hosted by Bangladesh was thus an apt reiteration of strong bilateral relations between India and Bangladesh and the role of the Indian Navy in strengthening defence cooperation in the maritime domain.