Moscow, September 20, 2005 (ANI)

Russian Naval ships, led by the Deputy Commander of the Pacific fleet, Vice Admiral Sergei Abramenko, on Tuesday left for India for the scheduled joint anti-terror and naval exercise—Indro-2005-- to be held in October.

The joint exercise, which will be the first of its kind between the two countries, will be practised off the coast of Visakhapatanam in Andhra Pradesh.

The fleet that will be participating in the joint exercise includes missile cruiser Varyag, anti-submarine ships Admiral Tributs and Admiral Panteleyev, tanker Pechenega and tugboat Kalar.

Interestingly, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov will be also present during the joint anti-terror exercise of Indian and Russian paratroopers, which will be conducted Suratgarh in Rajasthan.

The naval exercise, however, would be the second between the two countries. The last time the navies of India and Russia had come together for a joint exercise was in May 2003, when the exercise was conducted in the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal.

A joint exercise SALVEX with American naval personnel is already underway off the Kerala coast as a part of their ongoing cooperation series of bilateral exercises, the ‘Malabar’.

The SALVEX included deployment of underwater salvage teams comprising divers from both the navies. While, in the harbour phase of the exercise, the two navies held professional discussions and training.