Royal Australian Navy (RAN) ship HMAS Newcastle is currently on a four-day visit to Kochi, an official said on Wednesday.
The ship reached Kochi port on Tuesday and will stay there till July 7.
Its Commanding Officer, Commander M.D. Sirois, accompanied by Australian High Commissioner Harinder Sidhu and Defence Attache Captain Sheldon Williams, called on Vice Admiral A.R. Karve, AVSM, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Southern Naval Command (SNC), to discuss issues of mutual interest.
A guided tour for Indian naval personnel on board the HMAS Newcastle as well as conducted tour of some training units under the SNC at Kochi, like Anti-Submarine Warfare School and Damage Control Training Facility 'Avinash', for the ship's crew have been planned, an official statement said.
The ship's crew will also visit places of public interest at Fort Kochi, Marine Drive, and various museums at Kochi.
The ship will participate in a passage exercise along with Indian Navy ships off Kochi on July 7.
Indian naval ships Jyoti, Shivalik, and Kamorta, from the Eastern Fleet had visited Freemantle in Australia from June 13-17 and participated in the second edition of AUSINDEX-17, a bilateral maritime exercise between the two navies.
"The naval cooperation between the two countries is in pursuance of India's 'Act East' policy to promote bilateral relations and enhance interoperability between both navies," the statement added.
--IANS
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