An Indian warship currently in Australia will join the Chinese Navy for the ‘Asean-plus’ Naval War Games exercise in Sydney, for the first time since the multilateral US-led Malabar exercise in the Bay of Bengal in 2007, which had invited strong opposition from the Left parties.
The INS Sahyadri, a guided missile stealth frigate which was commissioned in June last year, sailed to Sydney to join the International Fleet Review hosted by the Australian Navy scheduled to be held from October 4-10.
China is also participating in the Naval exercise and the Fleet Review.
The Indian warship made port calls at Fremantle and Jervis Bay before reaching Sydney where the Naval exercise is currently in progress.
Captain Sanjay Vatsayan, along with 23 officers and 250 sailors, man the Sahyadri, which is a multi-role stealth frigate boasting of an array of weaponry in its arsenal.
Long-range anti-ship missiles, medium and short-range surface-to-air missiles augmented by the medium-range gun and close-in weapons system provide a formidable shield against air threats to the commendable warship.
With two integral multi-role helicopters and anti-submarine rockets, Sahyadri is also capable of thwarting sub-surface threats.
The ship’s sensors provide an external surveillance umbrella ensuring early detection and classification of threats in all three dimensions -- air, surface and sub-surface.
The Combat Management System integrates all weapons and sensors providing a comprehensive tactical picture for effective decision-making. The state-of-the-art Electronic Warfare suite enables effective exploitation of the electromagnetic spectrum.
During the deployment, Sahyadri will participate in various exercises held by the Australian Navy as a prelude to the Fleet Review.
“Sahyadri’s participation in Fleet Review will serve to reinforce Naval ties and also contribute towards enhancing interoperability with the Australian Navy and other participating Navies,” a release stated.
The overarching aim of the visit is to strengthen the bonds of friendship and camaraderie between India and Australia, who are pursuing a common destiny of peace and prosperity,” it added.