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

Indian military delegation at Iran Navy HQ in Bandar Abbas

Iran Navy Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari shakes hands with members of military delegation from India’s University of Strategic Sciences, on AUG26 at the Iran Navy headquarters in Bandar Abbas.

According to Tasnim News Agency:

Sayyari expressed the hope that Iran and India would promote their relations in a way to end trans-regional countries’ presence for safeguarding security in the northern part of Indian Ocean.He then said northern part of Indian Ocean is one of the strategic trade areas of the world due to the existence of energy routes.

Elsewhere, Sayyari announced that the country will host navies from 45 world countries since it has received the official membership of a conference of navy commanders of Indian Ocean littoral countries in 2018, IRNA reported.

It is being reported on 28AUG15 that Indian Navy ships INS Betwa (F39) and INS Beas (F37) have docked at Bandar Abbas on a scheduled exchange visit to IRIN 1st Naval Region Headquarters. UOI will post photos with captions as they are made available.

Group photo of members of military delegation from India’s University of Strategic Sciences and Iranian military hosts at Iran Navy HQ in Bandar Abbas.

Ranking officer of the Indian military 16-member delegation, Indian Army Lt. Gen. Navkaran Singh accepting gift from Iran Navy Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari.

Commodore of the Indian Navy; behind him a captain of the Iranian Navy

Hall at the Iran Navy Headquarters in Bandar Abbas

Detail of Iran Navy themed woodcarving behind IRIN Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari, Commander of Islamic Republic of Iran Navy.

Photos: Seyed Majid Tavakoli at Fars News Agency