The Indian Naval Ship (INS) Pralaya landed in Abu Dhabi, UAE, to participate in NAVDEX 21 and IDEX 21, both high profile defence exhibitions scheduled from 20th to 25th February 2021. INS Mysore, another Indian naval entity – an indigenously built guided missile destroyer, is also partaking in these exhibitions.
Understanding NAVEDX and IDEX
These international defence conferences are organized by the renowned Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC). Coordinated with the Ministry of Defense and the General Command of the UAE Armed Forces, both events happen every two years.
The key purpose of IDEX and NAVDEX is to showcase the cutting-edge technology and innovation in the global defence sector. They also support the UAE’s growing defence industry and foster new relationships among international companies. IDEX is particularly unique as it is the only international defence exhibition in the MENA region that reveals the latest technological advancements across land, sea, and air sectors.
The Significance of MENA Region
MENA stands for Middle East and North Africa, a region encompassing approximately 19 countries. Despite accounting for only 6% of the world’s population, the MENA region holds about 60% of the world’s oil reserves and 45% of the world’s natural gas reserves. Its member countries include Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.
An Overview of INS Pralaya
INS Pralaya, a proud member of the indigenous Prabal Class Missile Vessels was commissioned in the Indian Navy back in 2002. The ship was entirely built at Goa Shipyard Limited. As a versatile platform capable of performing a wide variety of surface warfare missions, the ship symbolizes the capabilities of the Indian shipbuilding industry.
India and UAE Defence Relations
Relations between India and the UAE in defence matters have been on an upward trajectory since 2017 when the bilateral relations were upgraded to a ‘Comprehensive Strategic Partnership’. In the same year, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, was the chief guest at India’s Republic Day celebrations. The first edition of the Indian & UAE Navy bilateral exercise, GULF STAR-1, was conducted in 2018 to foster better interactions between the two countries’ navies. The second edition is expected to take place in 2021.
India’s Defence Exhibitions DefExpo and Aero India
In 2020, Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) hosted the 11th edition of DefExpo, a flagship biennial event of the Ministry of Defence. Similarly, the 13th edition of the Aero India show was held at the Yelahanka Air Force Station in Bengaluru, Karnataka. Aero India, another biennial international military and civil airshow, is a premier event that garners attention from international and Indian military and civil aircraft makers, their support industries, military officials, government dignitaries, and business visitors. Source: PIB.
