Reports Of Indian Navy Part Of Iran-Russia Maritime Drills False
Indian Navy said on Thursday that it is not participating in the two-day naval exercise dubbed “Iran-Russia Maritime Security Belt 2021” in the northern part of the Indian Ocean.
“The news reports regarding Indian Navy participating in Iran-Russia Maritime exercise is incorrect,” the force clarified.
Reports had earlier claimed that the Indian Navy has joined a drill alongside forces and vessels from the navy divisions of both the Iranian army and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and the Russian Navy. Meanwhile, Hossein Khanzadi, commander of the Iranian Navy, has said that the Chinese Navy will also be participating in the exercise.
The drill will cover an area of 17,000 square kilometers (6,500 square miles). It will include shooting at sea and air targets and liberating hijacked ships, as well as search and rescue and anti-piracy operations, Al Jazeera reported.”It means that global arrogance which until today dominated the region must realize that it needs to leave it,” Khanzadi was quoted as saying by the Iranian Army’s website.
Further growing military cooperation between Iran and Russia comes at a sensitive time with Tehran and Washington locked in a stalemate. Tensions between the two countries continue to simmer with both sides beefing up military presence in the Persian Gulf.
