Aimed at boosting cooperation between the two navies, Admiral Vladimir Korolev, Commander-in-Chief, Russian Federation Navy, along with a four member Russian Navy delegation on Wednesday held talks with his Indian counterpart, Admiral Sunil Lanba.
Admiral Korolev's four-day visit today at the head of Russian delegation is aimed at consolidating bilateral naval relations between the two countries and to explore new avenues for naval cooperation.
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The Admiral is also scheduled to meet Defence Minister Arun Jaitley as also the Chief of the Air Staff, the Chief of the Army Staff and the Defence Secretary.
India is the largest importer of defence equipment from Russia and majority of the armament inventory in Indian Armed Forces is of Soviet or Russian origin.
The Indian Navy cooperates with the Russian Federation Navy on many fronts, which include operational interactions, training, hydrographic cooperation, information technology and exchange of Subject Matter Experts.
Besides, the two Navies have been conducting bilateral Maritime Exercise ‘Indra Navy’, since 2003. Eight editions have been held so far, with the last being held off Visakhapatnam in December last year.
Admiral Kolorev is also scheduled to visit Mumbai where he will hold discussions with the Commander-in-Chief, Western Naval Command as well as visit an indigenously built destroyer INS Mysore, Naval Dockyard and Mazagon Dock and Shipbuilders Limited.
