The Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Abhay Thakur, on Monday called for closer working relationship between the Nigerian Navy and the Indian Navy.
Spokesman of the Nigerian Navy, Commodore Suleman Dahun, in a statement disclosed that Thakur made the call when he visited the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Ibok-Ete Ibas at the Naval Headquarters, in Abuja.
The High Commissioner called for increased collaboration and cooperation between the Nigerian Navy and the Indian Navy in the areas of training, hydrography, security in the Gulf of Guinea and in developing platforms such as training ships and landing ship tanks for the Nigerian Navy.
Thakur said he already had discussions with Minister of Science and Technology and the National Security Adviser on the possible areas of cooperation between the Indian government and the Nigerian government.
“The Indian government will be willing to assist in the areas of combating insurgency and terrorist,” the statement also quoted the Indian envoy as saying.
He said the Indian Navy would also provide additional training slots for Nigerian Navy as well as providing hydrographic assistance to its Nigerian counterpart.
Responding, Ibas noted that the Indian Navy had always offered great support to the Nigerian Navy in the areas of training and military cooperation.
On training, Ibas stated that the Nigerian Navy would look at the various training billets of the Indian Navy to see areas where the two navies could have exchange programmes.
Also, the CNS stated that the Nigerian Navy would leverage on the vast experience of the IN Dockyard Goa, as it tries to develop and expand its already existing dockyards.
The statement disclosed that the India High Commissioner was accompanied on the visit by the Indian Defence Adviser, Colonel Sachin Dubey.
It also said that the CNS received the High Commissioner in company of some of his Principal Staff Officers in the Naval Headquarters.