GOODWILL VISIT. Capt. Ernesto Baldovino (2nd from left), commander of the Philippine Navy Sealift Amphibious Force, welcomes the Indian Navy contingent headed by Capt. Ashwin Arvind (2nd from right), during the arrival of two Indian Navy ships at Pier 15 South Harbor, Manila on Wednesday (Oct. 23, 2019). The "Shivalik"-class guided missile frigate, INS Sahyadri (F-49), and anti-submarine corvette, INS Kiltan (P-30), are in the country for a four-day goodwill visit from Wednesday to Saturday. (Photo courtesy of Naval Public Affairs Office)
MANILA -- The goodwill visit of two Indian Navy vessels to the Philippines highlights their desire for regional peace, stability, and maritime cooperation, a Philippine Navy (PN) official has said.
"(The) Indian Navy regularly visits the country and engages with their Filipino counterparts, which manifest a sustained promotion of regional peace and stability and enhancement of maritime cooperation. It further highlights the military facet of India-Philippines relations established in 1949 and further cemented with the signing of (the) Treaty of Friendship in 1952” Navy public affairs office chief, Lt. Commander Maria Christina Roxas, said in a statement on Wednesday.
The "Shivalik"-class guided missile frigate, INS Sahyadri (F-49), and anti-submarine corvette, INS Kiltan (P-30), docked at Pier 15 South Harbor, Manila for a four-day visit from Wednesday to Saturday.
Both ships are part of the Indian Navy's Eastern Naval Command.
The visit of the two Indian naval ships and the 350-man contingent manning the vessels coincided with the recent state visit of Indian President Ram Nath Kovind, which added significance to the commemoration of the two countries’ 70th year of diplomatic relations, Roxas added.
The Indian naval contingent, headed by Capt. Ashwin Arvind, was warmly welcomed by PN delegates headed by the Sealift Amphibious Force commander, Capt. Ernesto Baldovino.
Arvind described the relationship of India and its Navy with the Philippines as “very important”, which is “evident from the high-level exchange of visit”, citing the recent state visit of their president.
He further specified the importance of maintaining “beyond just professional” friendship with the PN as strategic since “the importance of (the) Indo-Pacific region is intricately linked” with the Philippines.
Their arrival to the country is part of Indian Navy’s overseas deployment to Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific. Before heading to the Philippines, the two vessels aided Japan after being battered by Typhoon 'Hagibis'.
INS Sahyadri has a displacement of 6,200 tons, a length of 142.5 meters, and a beam of 16.9 meters, and is armed with a variety of missiles, torpedoes, and rockets for anti-ship, anti-air, and anti-submarine missions along with a 76-mm. automatic cannon.
Meanwhile, INS Kiltan has a displacement of 3,000 tons, a length of 109 meters, and a beam of 12.8 meters, and is armed with guns, torpedoes and rockets. (PNA)
