The Indian Navy is happy with the responsibilities carried out by its men and ships as part of the Combined Maritime Defence Force in the Gulf of Aden, said Vice-Admiral Sunil Lanba who is leading an Indian delegation participating at Dimdex 2016.
While recalling some of the achievements in thwarting attempts by pirates to attack oil tankers, the senior Indian naval officer said the country’s forces have been undertaking duties in the region since 2008 with notable successes.
“Our ships could successfully evacuate more than 4,000 stranded people from 42 countries when the civil war was at its pinnacle in Yemen in 2015,” recalled Lanba while hailing the feat of his men.
“Similarly, our navy could also defeat a number of attempts by pirates on oil tankers, he pointed out while recalling that the brave efforts came in for praise at different levels.
While expressing happiness at the growing levels of co-operation between the armed forces of the Gulf countries and India in the last decade, Vice-Admiral Lanba said there has been a remarkable rise in the number of soldiers from the region for the training programmes conducted by Indian forces. The senior officer also recalled the visits made by Indian ships to Qatar in recent years.
Inspector General S K Goyal of the Indian Coast Guard also hailed the growing levels of co-operation between India and the Gulf countries.
“There have been some goodwill visits by Indian Coast Guard ships to the ports in the Gulf region and we hope to continue such visits,” he said.
Commodore Deepak Bhatia of INS Beas and Commandant Manoj Pande were present at the deliberations held at the venue of the Dimdex yesterday.
Indian ambassador Sanjiv Arora said this year’s Indian participation at the Dimdex is the best ever as a Naval ship carrying a large contingent is berthed at Doha port since Monday.
The envoy also recalled that the increased levels of co-operation between India and the Gulf states in the defence sector has benefited both the parties considerably in recent years.

Dimdex a meeting place for ‘manufacturers and developers’

HE Chief of Staff of Qatari Armed Forces Major General Ghanim bin Shaheen al-Ghanim said that the Doha International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference (DIMDEX 2016) is growing year after year, and has become a meeting place for manufacturers and developers from all over the world as well as a hub that attracts manufacturers and developers of naval defence system in the Middle East and the world.
In a statement on the sidelines of the fifth edition of DIMDEX 2016 which opened yesterday at Qatar National Convention Centre, Major General Ghanim bin Shaheen al-Ghanim said that he expects the exhibition to grow further in the years to come.
Commander of the Qatar Emiri Air Force Major General Mubarak bin Mohamed al-Kumait al-Khayarin said that the exhibition has seen significant progress since its inception as its participants dramatically increased and exhibited a variety of technologies, adding that there are a lot of advanced equipment procured by the Qatari armed forces.
Al-Khayarin pointed to the inclusion of Patriot missile defence system to secure the country along with the naval and air transport support aircraft, stressing that all air force capabilities will be utilised to support the navy in the country.

Navy chief hails
Emir’s support
to Dimdex

Major General Mohamed Nasser al-Mohannadi, Commander of Qatar Emiri Naval Forces, said that HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani’s patronage and continued support to the Doha International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference (Dimdex) has made the expo a pioneering event regionally and internationally.   
In a speech he delivered before the opening of the 5th edition of Dimdex, al-Mohannadi said Dimdex 2016 has now become the largest specialised maritime naval defence and security exhibition in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region.  
Al-Mohannadi highlighted the confidence placed by the participants in the expo which brings together industry experts from all over the world to share cutting edge technologies in maritime security.