By IANS,
New Delhi : Signalling improvement in defence ties between the two countries, two Saudi Arabian naval warships will arrive in India on their maiden visit Monday, a Indian Navy official said here Friday.
“The Saudi Arabian ships have been visiting Pakistan. But it is the first time that the country’s warships are coming to India,” the navy official said.
The two warships will arrive July 28 at Mumbai on a four-day friendly port call.
“The visit by the Saudi Navy ships is a result of the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium organised by India recently. Saudi Arabia is an important country in the Indian Ocean Rim and the port call is an indication how countries look at India in the emerging world scenario,” the official added.
Seventy-nine cadets of the Al Fahad Naval Academy will also be part of the entourage.
Saudi Arabia is considered a major ally of the US and most of its weapons platforms come from the West.