Two Indian warships visit Egyptian port city

Two Indian warships have engaged extensively in professional and social interactions with the Egyptian navy during their port call to Alexandria as part of Indian Navy's overseas deployment to the Mediterranean Sea and the west coast of Africa.

INS Mumbai and INS Aditya, part of Indian Navy's Western Naval Command based in Mumbai, arrived in the port city on May 5.

Apart from professional interactions, the warships engaged in a number of sports and social engagements with the Egyptian navy, according to a statement by the Indian Embassy in Cairo. The statement said India and Egypt are two of the world's most ancient civilisations with a rich history of close contact. Building upon the relations that have existed between the two countries, both nations have developed warm relations in several spheres, it said, adding that training cooperation between the two militaries "exist at the highest levels."

This visit would go a long way in enhancing co-operation and understanding between the two countries, it said. The statement cited training of Egyptian pilots by the Indian Air Force and a joint venture to manufacture the Helwan 300 fighter jets.