INS Tamal concludes port call at Souda Bay in Greece

New Delhi, Aug 23 (IANS) INS Tamal, the latest stealth frigate of the Indian Navy, on her passage to home base in India, called at Souda Bay, Greece, on August 19-22.

The ship’s crew engaged with the Hellenic Navy and NATO functionaries during the port call. This included the Commanding Officer's call on Commodore Dionysios Mantadakis, Base Commander of Souda Bay Naval Base, Captain Kouplakis Iiias, Head of the NATO Maritime Interdiction Operational Training Centre (NMIOTC), and Captain Stephen Steacy, Commanding Officer of the Naval Support Activity of the US Navy on August 19.

The discussions during the meetings focused on operational matters and maritime cooperation. A cross-deck visit for the crew of INS Tamal was conducted onboard the multi-role amphibious assault unit ITS Trieste, a Landing Helicopter Dock, of the Italian Navy, at Souda Bay.

India’s Ambassador to Greece, Rudrendra Tandon, visited the ship on August 20 and interacted with the crew. During the ship's port call, the crew visited the Souda Naval Base and Armament facility, the NMIOTC and the local maritime museum. The ship’s crew also paid homage at the World War II cemetery in Crete.

INS Tamal sailed out of Souda Bay on August 22 and participated in a Passage Exercise with HS Ritsos, a Roussen-class patrol boat of the Hellenic Navy, aimed at validation of interoperability between the Navies.

“The port call by INS Tamal reflects the importance India attaches to its relations with Greece and the endeavour to strengthen the growing defence cooperation between the two nations. It has also provided an opportunity for both navies to share best practices and pursue further opportunities for joint engagement,” said a government statement.

The ship, en route to its home base in India, will be visiting ports in friendly foreign countries in Asia, furthering maritime diplomacy and strengthening bilateral ties across the spectrum.

--IANS

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