Indian Navy guided missile frigates dock at Bandar Abbas

Indian Navy frigates INS Betwa (F39) and INS Beas (F37) have arrived and docked at Bandar Abbas, Iran, headquarters for Iran Navy 1st Naval Region. During the four-day visit,  Indian naval personnel "are scheduled to hold joint exercises with Iran’s Navy, hold talks with Iranian Navy commanders and local officials and visit historical and cultural sites of Hormozgan." [source: Iran Daily]

INS Beas (F37) Brahmaputra class guided missile frigate, built at the Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkatta.

During May–July 2009, INS Beas was a part of the Indian Navy task force on deployment to Europe. During this deployment, the task force participated in joint-exercises with the Royal Navy and the French Navy. Exercise Konkan-09 with the Royal Navy, was conducted off the coast of the United Kingdom. Exercise Varuna 2009 with the French Navy was off the coast of France. [source: Wikipedia]

INS Beas (F37) guided missile frigate assisted by Sohrab tug [IMO: 9413391] at Bandar Abbas

Starboard side of INS Beas (F37) guided missile frigate named for the River Beas

INS Betwa (F39) Brahmaputra class guided missile frigate, also built at the Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkatta. Note namesake for this ship: "the tenacious torrent", named after the River Betwa.

INS Betwa notable actions include Operation Cactus, where the Indian Navy was called in to rescue the Maldivian hostages taken by Sri Lankan mercenaries off the coast of Sri Lanka. INS Godavari (F20) and INS Betwa captured the freighter, rescued the hostages and arrested the mercenaries near the Sri Lankan coast.

INS Betwa was also part of Task Force 54, returning from the Mediterranean during which time the 2006 Lebanon War broke out. As a part of Operation Sukoon, INS Betwa participated in the evacuation of Indian citizens from Lebanon to Cyprus.

Armament detail of INS Betwa: Quadruple KT-184 launchers provided for the firing of Kh-35 (NATO: SS-N-25 Switchblade) AShMs.

Indian Navy Captain KM Ramakrishnan, commanding officer of INS Betwa

Captain KM Ramakrishnan received by officers of Iran Navy 1st Naval Region at Bandar Abbas

 

Crossed flags of the Republic of India and Islamic Republic of Iran, and behind them Naval Ensign of the Indian Navy, seen at the stern of INS Betwa.

Photos: Islamic Republic News Agency