New Delhi, Sept 16: Indian Navy warship INS Tarkash which is currently mission deployed in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG), took part in a Joint Maritime Exercise with Nigerian Navy Patrol Ships on September 12-13, according to a statement by Indian Navy.
In a tweet, the Indian Navy wrote, "Reinforcing #IndianNavy's commitment to #MaritimeSecurity INS Tarkash is mission-deployed in #GulfofGuinea (GoG) for anti-piracy ops. #INSTarkash participated in a Joint Maritime Exercise with #NigerianNavy Patrol Ships NNS Kano, Osun, Sokoto & Nguru. @DefenceInfoNG." The exercise marked India and Nigeria's first joint operational deployment in support of anti-piracy operations in the GoG.
The Nigerian Navy Patrol Ships which participated in the naval exercise as a part of the deployment were NNS Kano, Osun, Sokoto and Nguru. Reinforcing the Indian Navy's commitment to maritime security, INS Tarkash is currently mission-deployed in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG) for anti-piracy operations. Earlier on Jul 29, INS Tarkash completed her Mediterranean deployment and entered the Atlantic to continue with her long-range voyage.
The exercise provided an opportunity to strengthen interoperability between the Indian and Nigerian navies in various facets of maritime operations like anti-piracy, assistance to vessels in distress, SAR drills, and anti-air and anti-surface operations. It also helped enhance skills for naval interdiction and counter-piracy operations, according to Indian Navy officials.