Russian navy chief begins India visit, discusses enhanced cooperation

New Delhi, Aug 19: Russian Navy’s Commander-in-Chief, Admiral Aleksandr Alekseyevich Moiseyev, began a four-day official visit to India on Monday, an official statement said.

The visit, which will last till August 22, is a testimony to the longstanding relationship between the navies of Russia and India, the statement said, adding that the Indian Navy cooperates with the Russian Navy on many fronts, which include operational interactions, training, hydrographic cooperation, and exchange of Subject Matter Experts in various fields through the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military Technical Cooperation (IRIGC M&MTC) mechanism.

This visit aims to strengthen bilateral naval relations between India and Russia, as well as to explore new avenues for naval cooperation, it said.

On Monday, Admiral Moiseyev called on Indian Navy chief, Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi. Both the naval chiefs held discussions on collaborative mechanisms and measures to further strengthen navy-to-navy cooperation. He was also accorded a ceremonial Guard of Honour at the South Block lawns.

The Indian Navy has also been interacting with the Russian Navy in various multilateral forums, viz. the IONS (Indian Ocean Naval Symposium), MILAN, IORA (Indian Ocean Rim Association), WPNS (Western Pacific Naval Symposium), and ADMM-Plus (ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus).

The Russian Navy chief is also scheduled to meet the Chief of Defence Staff, the Defence Secretary, the Vice Chief of the Air Staff, and the National Maritime Security Coordinator, as part of his official engagements in New Delhi.

In addition to New Delhi, Admiral Moiseyev will also visit Mumbai, where he will hold bilateral discussions with the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command, as well as visit indigenous warships & submarines, the naval dockyard, and Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd.

Joining the Navy in the Soviet era as a submariner, Admiral Moiseyev has commanded both the Black Sea and the Northern Fleet. He was named the acting Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy in March 2024, replacing Admiral Nikolai Yevmenov, who had held the post since 2019.