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Mormugao Port, Goa, Oman and India will host the 12th edition of the famous bilateral maritime exercise viz. ‘Naseem Al Bahr.’ In 1993, the Indian Navy and the RNO conducted a naval exercise known as ‘Naseem-Al-Bahr’. This drill includes Indian Navy ships Beas & Subhadra and Oman Navy ships RNOV Al Rasikh & RNOV Kassab. On Saturday, the Defense Ministry announced that the Indo-Oman operation Eastern Bridge-VI (2022) was conducted in Air Force Station Jodhpur between February 21 to February 25, 2022. The Indian Navy and the Qatar Emiri Naval Force (QENF) performed the second iteration of Zair-Al-Bahr there in the Persian Gulf dated 09 to August 14 2021.
History
The history of commerce between India and Oman spans millennia, and archaeological digs in Oman have discovered evidence of Indo-Oman commerce in the Classical Age, which dates back to the third century bc. Eventually, Oman established ties with Indian states such as Gujarat and the Malabar Coast. The Indian ruler Tipu Sultan dispatched a diplomatic party to Oman throughout his rule.
In August 1957, during a Lok Sabha discussion, then-Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru answered questions about British military intervention in Oman by saying, “We have got an indirect telegram purporting to be from Oman’s Imam’s agents. The announcement of the military intervention in Oman has caused alarm in India’s government, which has voiced its worry to the United Kingdom government and expressed popular sentiment in India in response to this act.”
Naseem Al-Bahr’s Origin
- Since 1993, the Indian Navy and the Royal Navy of Oman (RNO) have been conducting a naval exercise known as ‘Naseem-Al-Bahr’.
- India has a vast nautical history, with marine contact with Oman dating back to 4000 years. The 1953 Indo-Oman Treaty of Friendship, Transportation, and Trade, the first between India and an Arab country, legally recognised bilateral relations between India and Oman.
- Since then, Naval drills have helped boost ties between the two countries between India and thus the Sultanate of Oman. The first bilateral exercise between the Indian Navy and the Royal Navy of Oman occurred in 1993. This year commemorates the 24th anniversary of bilateral exercises between the Indian Navy and the Royal Navy of Oman.
- The signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on Defense Collaboration in December 2005, followed by the formation of the Joint Force Cooperation in March 2006, laid the groundwork for enhanced security cooperation. The extent and scale of military ties between the two countries have progressively grown.
Significance of Naseem al Bahr
For India, this naval exercise with Oman seems crucial. This is due to the nation’s strategic position. The nation is located near the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz, which accounts for one-fifth of India’s imported oil. Oman’s grant of dock privileges to Indian ships is critical for something like the Indian Navy’s anti-piracy activities there in the Gulf of Aden.
In 2018, India inked a deal with Oman to get access to the port of Duqm.
Navies of Oman and India
On numerous fronts, both the Indian Navy and the Royal Navy of Oman have a broad collaboration involving operational engagements, training cooperation, and the interchange of subject material specialists in different disciplines. Both navies participated in the biennial maritime exercise “Naseem Al Bahr” throughout 1993. This maritime exercise, which was last held off the coast of Goa in 2020, will be held once more in 2022.
Ships from the Royal Navy of Oman have arrived in Goa to engage in Exercise Naseem-Al-Bahr
The Royal Navy of Oman’s (RNO) ships RNOV Al Rasikh & RNOV Khassab landed in Goa’s Mormugao Port for the 12th edition of something like the Indo-Oman bilateral naval operation. Throughout 1993, Naseem-Al-Bahr has been a biennial naval operation between the Indian Navy and the RNO. IN Ships Beas & Subhadra, which also will assemble in Goa again for the harbour portion of the drill, will accompany the RNO ships. All ships will complete the Sea Stage off the coast of Goa several weeks later.
Conclusion
Through Goa, the 12th iteration of something like the ‘Naseem-Al-Bahr’ bilateral operation among India’s and Oman’s fleets will occur. Since 1993, the Indian Navy and the Royal Navy of Oman have conducted a once-every-two-year exercise. The earlier version of the exercise took place in Muscat, Oman, in December 2017. 2 Oman Navy navy ships landed in Goa lately, whereas the Indian Navy ships Beas plus Subhadra would take part in the event. For India, this naval exercise with Oman seems crucial. This is due to the nation’s strategic position.
