Article Posted on : - Jul 04, 2012

A file photo.

NEW DELHI (PTI): In their first engagement after the new establishment took over in Egypt, Indian and Egyptian navies will carry out a joint exercise in Alexandria.

Warships of the Mumbai-based western fleet of the Navy are on a westward deployment and will be visiting a number of countries after Egypt.

Indian warships will carry out a basic exercise with their Egyptian counterparts as part of the westward deployment of the naval fleet, Navy officials said here.

This would be the first military engagement between Egypt and India after the newly-elected government has taken over there.

Destroyer INS Mumbai, INS Trishul, INS Gomati and fleet tanker INS Aditya are under the command of Western Fleet commander Rear Admiral A R Karve and had made a port call at Djibouti before proceeding towards Alexandria in Egypt.

After the exercise in Egypt, the flotilla will move towards Spain.

During their stay in Spain, Navy Chief-designate Vice Admiral D K Joshi will also visit Madrid and meet the top leadership of the Spanish Navy there.

Recently, incumbent Admiral Nirmal Verma had also visited Spain.

After Spain, these warships will visit France to hold their series of bilateral exchanges there.