Indian Navy Chief Admiral to attend Russian Navy Day next week; INS Tabar to participate

Continuing the long-standing defence ties, the Indian Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh will be visiting Russia to attend Russia's Navy Day celebration on July 25. A meeting with Admiral Nikolai Yemenov, the Soviet Navy Chief, is also likely during the visit.

The Russian Navy will celebrate its 325th anniversary with parades in St Petersburg and Kronstadt while Admiral Singh of the Indian Navy will see the presence of MiG-29K (already in Indian Navy's possession) and the Sukhoi-22 along with other aircraft and helicopters as part of the ceremonies.

The air show will be followed by parades in other places, notably in Vladivostok, in the far east and Sebastopol in Crimea. Admiral Singh will be visiting the Kaliningrad shipyard where two Admiral Grigorovich class frigates are being built for the Indian Navy; this will be delivered in three years while two more are underway in Goa. Russia has supplied India with nuclear-powered submarines and apart from one currently with India, negotiations for another is in progress after Russia offered a third, as well. Spares 

India's presence at Russian Navy Day

Indian Navy Ship Tabar has been deployed to participate in Russian Navy Day celebrations and joint exercises with friendly navies in Africa and Europe after it sailed from India last month and reached the destination after exercising with navies of countries such as Greece, France and Egypt.

Navy Chiefs of other countries like Iran's Navy Commander Admiral Hossein Khanzadi, will also be present during the celebrations.

Notably, the visit comes in the wake of an agreement by India and Russia to have annual 2 plus 2 discussions between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and their Russian counterparts. The first meeting is likely to be held later this year.