India & Saudi Arabia discuss defence cooperation, opportunities for joint ventures in defence production
In a move that reflects deepened maritime collaboration, Admiral Fahad bin Abdullah Al-Ghofaily, Chief of Staff of the Royal Saudi Navy, is on a four-day visit to India from January 10, 2024. This visit is expected to act as a crucial catalyst in strengthening the naval alliance between India and Saudi Arabia, focusing on shared challenges within the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
 
On January 11, Admiral Al-Ghofaily engaged in high-level discussions with his Indian counterpart, Admiral R Hari Kumar. According to the Ministry of Defence, the meeting, held in New Delhi, focused on collaborative mechanisms and measures to further strengthen Navy-to-Navy cooperation. Earlier, a ceremonial guard of honour at the South Block Lawns heralded Admiral Al-Ghofaily's arrival.
 
The Saudi naval chief’s engagements in New Delhi included meeting other key military functionaries, including Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan; Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane; Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari; and Vice-Chief of Army Staff and Lieutenant General MV Suchindra Kumar.
 
According to the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff, discussions during the meeting with General Chauhan covered bilateral defence cooperation, opportunities for joint ventures in defence production, technology collaboration in addition, and military training.
 
“The extant visit by the Chief of Staff, Royal Saudi Naval Forces is aimed to increase naval cooperation between the two navies and has renewed the sense of commitment of two friendly maritime neighbours to address shared maritime challenges in the IOR,” the Ministry of Defence said.
 
Robust Maritime Partnership
 
The Indian Navy and the Royal Saudi Naval Forces have cultivated a robust partnership, underpinned by various initiatives, including operational interactions such as the bilateral naval exercise "Al Mohed Al Hindi," conducted in May 2023. These engagements encompass training and maritime collaborations, further solidified by regular port calls of Indian Navy ships at Saudi Arabian harbours.
 
Additionally, the Indian Navy and the Royal Saudi Navy – known as Al-Quwwat al-Bahriyah al-Arabiyah as-Su’udiyah – have been actively participating in several multilateral forums. These include the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium, Indian Navy-hosted multilateral naval exercise MILAN, the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), and the Djibouti Code of Conduct-Jeddah Amendment. Through these forums, both navies have synergistically supported each other, fortifying maritime security in the region.
 
Significantly, Admiral Al-Ghofaily's visit includes his tours to the Information Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) in Gurugram and the Southern Naval Command in Kochi. These visits are critical in understanding the operational intricacies and potential areas for maritime collaboration between India and Saudi Arabia.
 
Admiral Fahad bin Abdullah Al-Ghofaily's visit consolidates the enduring relationship between the Saudi and Indian naval forces and signifies a substantial advancement in their collaborative efforts to address mutual maritime challenges in the Indian Ocean Region. This visit is expected to draw a new era of joint ventures, further solidifying the ties between these two seafaring nations.