Royal Navy ship on permanent deployment in Indo-Pacific makes first port call in India

As mentioned by the United Kingdoms’ high commission, India is the ‘first port of call’ for the ship and underlines the United Kingdom’s and India’s intent to collaborate in the Indian Ocean Region.

Port of call:

• When the ship leaves the port of origin, it may halt at a port in between before reaching its final destination port. This halt port or intermediate stop is called the port of call.
• Also called port of refuge, port of call is usually not a part of a ship’s itinerary. The vessel may “call” the said intermediate port and need a stopover due to various reasons, like:

• • Cargo operations (cleaning, repairs, or maintenance)
  • Stock up supplies (fuel, food, etc.)
  • Load and unload cargo
  • Ship-to-ship transfers
  • Crew change
  • Bad weather conditions
  • Unforeseen emergencies
    
    

• India and U.K. have signed a white shipping agreement which enables information sharing across the whole of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
• In June 2021, the U.K. posted its first permanent liaison officer at the Indian Navy’s Information Fusion Centre for Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) in Gurugram to enhance maritime domain awareness in the region.
• In October 2021, U.K.’s carrier strike group led by HMS Queen Elizabethundertook its maiden overseas deployment to IOR during which the two countries conducted Exercise Konkan Shakti involving all three services.

About the move:

• The Royal Navy’s offshore patrol vessel, HMS Tamar, sailed to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands on as part of its permanent deployment in the Indo-Pacific.

• India is the first port of call for the ship and underlines the United Kingdom’s and India’s intent to collaborate in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and wider Indo-Pacific.
• The Integrated Review published in March 2021 committed the U.K. to becoming the European country with the broadest, most integrated presence in the Indo-Pacific.?
• Significance:
  • The ship’s visit to India is an opportunity to further strengthen the shared maritime domain awareness effort.
  • The Indo-Pacific will drive future growth and prosperity for the world.
  • It is imperative that it remains free and open to all in support of trade, shared security and values.