Article Posted on : - Mar 12, 2021

An India navy photo

NEW DELHI (PTI):  Two Indian Navy ships undertook passage exercise with two Bangladesh Navy vessels on Thursday, culminating their three-day visit to the Mongla port in the neighbouring country, according to an official statement.

Offshore patrol vessel (OPV) Sumedha and corvette Kulish of the Indian Navy visited Mongla from Monday to Wednesday as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations of Bangladesh's independence and to reiterate the historic friendship between the two nations.

The Indian Navy said on Twitter, "Culminating the maiden historic visit of #IndianNavy ships at Mongla, INS Kulish & INS Sumedha undertook Passage Exercise with Bangladesh Navy frigate BNS Ali Haider & Island-Class OPV BNS Karatoa enhancing interoperability & maritime cooperation."

This was the first time that any Indian Naval Ship visited the port of Mongla in Bangladesh.

India is currently celebrating Swarnim Vijay Varsh -- the golden jubilee of its victory over Pakistan in the 1971 war that led to the creation of Bangladesh.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar visited Bangladesh early March to prepare the ground for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the country later this month to participate in the celebrations of 50th anniversary of Bangladesh''s Independence.