Article Posted on : - Jun 20, 2015

New Zealand Chief of Navy, Rear Admiral Jack Steer, inspecting a guard of honour in Southern Naval Command HQ. A PTI photo.

KOCHI (PTI): Visiting Chief of New Zealand Navy Rear Admiral Jack Steer on Friday met top Indian Navy officials at the Naval Base here.

The visit of Steer, from June 17 to 20, "coincides with the goodwill visit of Her Majesty's New-Zealand Ship Te Kaha" which is at Kochi from June 18 to 22, a Navy release said.

The visiting Admiral interacted with Vice Admiral Sunil Lanba, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command and other senior officers.

"A 50-men guard of honour was presented to the visiting dignitary. The CNNZ (Steer) is also scheduled to visit INS Sudarshini, the Sail Training Ship of the Indian Navy, Damage Control Training facility," it said.

Accompanied by New Zealand delegation, he also visited places of cultural interest in Kochi, including Kerala Folklore Museum and undertook Kochi harbour familiarisation.

HMNZS Te Kaha, a 3,600-Tonne Anzac Class Guided Missile Frigate has been participating in counter piracy operations with Combined Maritime Forces in the Persian Gulf.

The ship departed Devonport, her baseport, on February 16 this year and is presently on her return passage to New Zealand.

Professional interactions and social events are being organized for the crew of HMNZS Te Kaha during the ship's visit to Kochi.

Naval ships and military delegations from New Zealand have been regularly visiting India.

India and New Zealand enjoyed good relations as members of the Commonwealth, sharing commonality extended by virtue of commitment towards secularism, democratic freedom and common interests as Indian Ocean Littoral states and the current visit by CNNZ and HMNZS Te Kaha would further strengthen the existing bonds between the two Navies, the release said.