Indian Navy celebrates Independence Day in Bahrain's Manama

Aug 15, 2023

Manama [Bahrain], August 15 : The Indian Tricolour was hoisted onboard the indigenously designed and built Guided Missile Destroyer INS Visakhapatnam and the fleet tanker INS Deepak at Manama, Bahrain to commemorate the 77th Independence Day. 
The Indian Navy released a video of the celebration of the 77th Independence Day on INS Vishakhapatnam and INS Deepak in Bahrain's capital Manama. 
From the East Coast of Australia to the Persian Gulf, the Mission Deployed warships of the Indian Navy celebrate the 77th Independence Day with the Nation.
Indian Naval ships (INS) Visakhapatnam and INS Deepak are on a visit to Port Mina Salman of Bahrain from August 14 to 17. The ships will share practices aimed at strengthening ties between the two Navies.
Indian Naval ships Visakhapatnam and Deepak under the Command of Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet, Rear Admiral Vineet McCarty, are visiting Port Mina Salman, Bahrain from August 14 to 17.
During the visit, Indian Navy ships will undertake professional interactions with the Royal Bahrain Naval Force on various aspects of maritime operations and share best practices aimed at enhancing cooperation and strengthening ties between the two Navies.
Additionally, the ships shall celebrate the 77th Independence Day of India and engage with the Royal Bahrain Navy personnel in various sporting and cultural events.
Earlier this week, INS Visakhapatnam and INS Trikand under the command of Rear Admiral Vineet McCarty, Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet (FOCWF) arrived at Port Rashid in Dubai to conduct bilateral exercise ‘Zayed Talwar’ to enhance interoperability and synergy between the two navies.
The two ships visited Port Rashid from August 8 to August 11 and were commanded by Captain Ashok Rao and Captain Pramod G Thomas respectively, the Ministry of Defence said in an official statement. 
A contingent of the Indian Navy, which is in Australia currently to participate in 'Exercise Malabar', hoisted the tricolour on Indian Naval Warships, INS Sahyadri and INS Kolkata, at Sydney on the occasion of 77th Independence Day.
The naval forces of India, the United States, Japan, and Australia began their Malabar joint defence exercise in Sydney on Friday, marking the first time Australia has hosted the war games amid China's growing assertiveness in the region.
'Exercise Malabar 2023' is being conducted in two phases — the harbour phase and the sea phase. The Harbour Phase involves wide-ranging activities such as cross-deck visits, professional exchanges, sports fixtures and several interactions for planning and conduct of the Sea Phase, the Ministry of Defence said in a press release earlier.
The Sea Phase will include various complex and high-intensity exercises in all three domains of warfare, encompassing anti-surface, anti-air and anti-submarine exercises including live weapon firing drills, according to the press release.
Meanwhile, in the national capital, New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hoisted the tricolour from the ramparts of the Red Fort.
In his 10th Independence Day address, PM Modi dwelt at length on the strides the country has made, adding that the decisions taken by the country today will impact its future for 1000 years.
Continuing with his custom of wearing colourful turbans, PM Modi donned a multi-coloured Rajasthani-style turban and paired this with an off-white kurta and churidar and a black jacket.
Recalling the testing times during the Covid-19 pandemic, Prime Minister Modi said India helped out several countries with vaccines and emergency medical equipment at the time, emerging as the 'Vishwa Mitra' (friend of the world)."We have to make our country so strong that it will contribute to 'Vishwa Mangal' (global welfare)," he added.
The Prime Minister added that after the Covid-19 pandemic, the world order and the definition of the geopolitical equation have changed and India has become the voice of the global South.
Balloons in the colours of the tricolour were released into the air as PM Modi concluded his address to the nation.