India has dispatched two naval ships to the historical port town of Mongla in Bangladesh ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Dhaka on the occasion of 50th anniversary celebrations of the 1971 War of Liberation.
Indian naval ships Sumedha, an indigenously-built offshore patrol vessel and Kulish, an indigenously built guided missile corvette, are scheduled to make a port call at Mongla from March 8-10, 2021 to commemorate 50th anniversary celebrations of the 1971 War of Liberation.
It will also mark the historic friendship between India and Bangladesh.
This is the first time that any Indian naval ship is visiting the port of Mongla in Bangladesh and the visit is aimed at paying homage to the Bangladeshi and Indian combatants and citizens, who laid down their lives during the Liberation War of 1971.
The visit of the naval ships will also reiterate India’s firm resolve and commitment to maintain peace, stability and good order in the region in line with SAGAR – Security and Growth for all in the Region, as articulated by the Prime Minister of India.
“On behalf of the Chief of Naval Staff, the Commanding Officers of the ships will call on the senior Bangladesh Navy hierarchy to reaffirm Indian Navy’s solidarity and partnership with the Bangladesh Navy,” the Union defence ministry said in a statement.
Following all COVID19 protocols, the ships’ crew will also participate in professional and cultural exchanges as well as friendly sports fixtures with their counterparts in the Bangladesh Navy, further enhancing synergy between the two navies, it added.