Oman Top Navy Commander Al Rahbi kick-starts his maiden visit to India

New Delhi: The Commander of Royal Navy of Oman (CRNO) Rear Admiral Saif Al Rahbi arrived here in New Delhi on Monday on his maiden visit to India. His visit assumes significance as India's efforts to reach out to the new military leadership that has taken charge under the new Sultan of Oman and comes days after the visit of the Secretary-General of the Minister of Defence, Oman, Mohammed Nasser Al Zaabi to India.

The CRNO Rear Admiral Al Rahbi called on the Chief of Army Staff General MM Naravane in New Delhi and discussed ways to enhance ways to further strengthen the defence cooperation between the two countries.

The main focus of his visit will be India-Oman Navy to Navy Staff Talks that is scheduled from 15 1o 18 February. He will also visit the strategic Information Fusion Centre for the Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) at Gurugram with emphasis on early operationalization of Information Exchange.

Oman is New Delhi's one of the closest allies in the Gulf region. It is the only country in the region with which all three services of the Indian Armed Forces conduct regular bilateral exercises, defence exchanges and staff talks.

Last September the Ex-Indian Navy Chief Karambir Singh visited the Gulf nation that provides critical operational support to Indian naval deployments in the Arabian sea for anti-piracy missions and actively participates in the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS).

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