Article Posted on : - May 27, 2010

The Indian ship Rajput class destroyer INS Rana (D 52) in the lead during the Malabar 08 exercise. A File Photo.

MELBOURNE (PTI): After a series of Indo-Australian naval interactions, INS Rana, a guided missile destroyer of the Indian Navy, is now set to touch the shore of this country next month on a friendly visit to commemorate the bilateral maritime cooperation.

INS Rana, the second of the five Rajput class guided missile destroyers of the Eastern Fleet based at Visakhapatnam, is scheduled to arrive on June 4 and will anchor at Fremantle Port in western Australia.

The visit will reinforce existing ties between the two navies and provide a fillip to the bilateral engagement process, an official statement said.

The convergence of interests and common challenges faced by both the countries in the maritime domains are the underpinnings for strong cooperation between the two navies, it said.

"Operational interaction between the two navies extends over a wide spectrum and includes advanced exercises, passage exercises, table-top exercises, port calls," it noted.

The ship is in command of Captain KG Vishwanath, with 48 officers and 343 sailors,

The 146.2-metre ship with a displacement of 5000 tonnes will be open for visitors for two days starting from June 5.

During the stay of INS Rana, many social interactions between the two Navies including sports fixtures are scheduled, the authorities said.

The visit comes in the backdrop of a series of Australian Navy's interaction with Indian Navy in last few years.

The Royal Australian Navy has participated in the MILAN series hosted by the Indian Navy, and is also a member of the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium grouping of IOR countries.

HMAS Glenelg visited Port Blair in February during MILAN 10.

HMAS Adelaide and HMAS Sirius also participated in the Malabar 2007 held in the Bay of Bengal from 04 to 09 Sep 07," the statement said.

The two navies, apart from contributing to the international efforts to combat piracy in the waters off Somalia, are also active participants in Western Pacific Naval Symposium sponsored activities.