Rear Admiral Saif Bin Nasser Bin Mohsin Al Rahbi, Commander of the Royal Navy of Oman (CRNO) is on a goodwill visit to India from February 13-17, the Navy informed on Monday.
The visit aims to consolidate bilateral relations with the Indian Navy, as also to explore new avenues for defence cooperation with India. The CRNO commenced his visit by paying homage at National War Memorial on February 14.
The CRNO was received by Admiral R Hari Kumar, Chief of the Naval Staff, at the majestic South Block Lawns and accorded a 50 Men Guard of Honour. Both the Naval Principals held discussions to explore avenues to further enhance cooperation between the Navies.
The CRNO would also be visiting the Indian Navy’s Western Naval Command at Mumbai, wherein he would be interacting with the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command, and visit ships at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai.
The first visit of the incumbent CRNO to India reverberates the growing cooperation between the Indian Navy and the Royal Navy of Oman, which includes operational interactions, training, and exchange of Subject Matter Experts. Both Navies have been participating in the biennial maritime exercise ‘Naseem Al Bahr’ since 1993.
This exercise was last conducted in 2020, off Goa and the next edition is scheduled later this year. INS Sudarshini visited Muscat in December 2021 and had embarked RNO Sea Riders for sea experience. (ANI)