India-Russia mark friendly bilateral ties as INS Tabar joins Russian Navy Day celebrations

Marking a goodwill visit and to further foster bilateral relations between the two nations, the INS Tabar on Sunday participated in the 325th Navy Day celebrations of the Russian Navy, held at St Petersburg, Russia, with zeal and enthusiasm.  

INS Tabar, a Talwar-class stealth frigate forms part of the Indian Navy's Western Fleet which is based in Mumbai under the Western Naval Command.

Navy - A thread that strengthens India-Russia relations

The frigate, presently commanded by Capt Mahesh Mangipudi had reached St Petersburg on Thursday to participate in the 325th Navy Day celebrations of the Russian Navy. Ambassador of India to the Russian Federation, D B Venkatesh Varma took account of the frigate and was briefed by the Commanding Officer regarding its present deployment. The Ambassador had conveyed his appreciation for the role played by the Indian Navy in guarding the sea frontiers and in further strengthening the friendly India-Russia relations.

Russian Vice-Admiral appreciates Tabar for participation in Navy Day

Deputy Commander of Russian Navy’s Baltic Fleet, Vice Admiral Sergei Yeliseyev, visited INS Tabar the next day on Jul 23 where he was received on board with a Guard of Honor. During his visit, Vice Admiral Yeliseyev expressed his deep appreciation to the Indian Navy for the participation of the ship in the pivotal event for the Russian Federation Navy (RuFN). 

The Russian naval officer said that the two Navies form strong bilateral relations and wished for more frequent mutual interactions. Marking a sweet gesture, commanding Officer Mangipudi presented the Admiral with the ship’s crest after the visit.

The next day on Jul 24, Commanding Officer, Captain Mahesh Mangipudi, paid homage at the historic Piskaryovskoye Memorial Cemetery in St Petersburg, dedicated mostly to the victims of the siege of Leningrad where about 420,000 civilians and 50,000 soldiers of the Leningrad Front were buried in 186 mass graves during the World War - II. 

The Ministry of Defence meanwhile in a statement said that these engagements seek to further enhance maritime security and conduct combined operations against maritime threats. "These interactions will also offer an opportunity for both sides to observe and imbibe the "Best Practices" followed in each other's Navy," the statement said.

INS Tabar joins 'column of ships'; Vladimir Putin reviews parade

Meanwhile on Sunday, July 25, the '325th Navy Day' of the Russian Navy, the Indian frigate joined the 'column of ships' in the Naval Parade that was reviewed by the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin. The event witnessed over 50 ships, motorboats, submarines, 48 airplanes, and helicopters associated with the naval aviation that took part in the parade.

As per Defence sources, post-Navy Day celebrations, Tabar will be participating in 'Exercise INDRA' scheduled to be held on July 28 and 29 in the Baltic sea along with two Russian Navy ships. 

INS Tabar (translates as "battle axe") is the third of the Talwar-class frigate of the Indian Navy. Interestingly, the frigate was first commissioned on 19 April 2004 in Kaliningrad, Russia with Captain (later Vice Admiral) Biswajit Dasgupta as the Commanding Officer of the frigate. 
 

Picture by PIB, Twitter

(With ANI Inputs)