A Royal Australian Navy (RAN) delegation completed its week-long visit of the Indian Naval Academy (INA) at Ezhimala on Monday.
A press release issued by the INA here on Monday said that the delegation comprising Lieutenant Gabrielle Dobson and three Midshipmen of RAN which reached the INA on July 24 ended the visit on Monday. The visit was aimed at reinforcing the robust professional relationship between the two Navies and to exchange best training practices, the release noted.
The RAN delegation had visited various training facilities, interacted with instructors and trainees, and had been given a general insight into the training methods of the Indian Navy, the release said.
The RAN Midshipmen had been given opportunities to not only understand the functionality of the INA, but also form bonds of friendship with the INA cadets, it added. The visiting Midshipmen had been accommodated in the cadets accommodation and they had dined in the Cadets Mess and also attended instructional classes in the company of their INA counterparts, the release said.
The delegation also experienced the rich culture of the Malabar region through visits to places of historical and cultural significance in and around the INA.
Naval cooperation between India and Australia had been traditionally strong, and included operational interactions, training visits, port calls, and participation in competitive annual sailing regatta (Admirals Cup) at the INA along with capacity building and capability augmentation initiatives, it noted.