New Delhi: The Indian Navy carried out the second anti-piracy patrol in the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean, a region that is considered critical for India's national interests and energy requirements.

The Ministry of Defence said in a statement that the deployment of INS Sumedha was also used to further the capability and enhance the Navy-to-Navy connection with regional partners.

"INS Sumedha is on an Extended Range Operational Deployment and is currently operating in the Atlantic Ocean along the West Coast of Africa. During this period, INS Sumedha operated in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG) undertaking a 31-day anti-piracy patrol," the Ministry stated.

This is the second such patrol being undertaken by the Indian Navy in this crucial maritime region. The first GoG Anti-piracy patrol was undertaken by INS Tarkash last year.

According to the Ministry, the region is considered critical for India's National Interests as it is an important source of India's energy requirements. Sumedha's deployment also ensured the enhancement of Navy-to-Navy connections with regional navies including Senegal, Ghana, Togo, Nigeria, Angola and Namibia.

The deployment was also used to further the capability of the regional partners through joint training undertaken by the ships' crew reiterating India and the Indian Navy's focus on helping our friends and the philosophy of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' (The World is One Family), the Ministry stated.

Another highlight of the deployment was the ship's participation in the maiden India- EU Joint Exercise in the GoG

INS Sumedha's operational deployment to a crucial geographical region of immense relevance to India has ensured our National Interests are further bolstered.