Royal Navy chief arrives on six-day India visit

New Delhi: UK Royal Navy chief Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope begins a six-day visit to India from tomorrow looking to enhance maritime security and anti-terror cooperation between the two nations.

Admiral Stanhope is likely to discuss various aspects of UK's defence and security policy as well as enhancing defence relationship, including maritime cooperation, between the two nations, the British High Commission said in a release here.

Adm Stanhope would also meet Indian defence minister AK Antony and the three services chiefs of the Indian defence forces, it said.

He will also deliver a keynote address on ''Indian Ocean and Maritime Security'' to the Indian Navy-sponsored think-tank, the National Maritime Foundation (NMF).

Adm Stanhope is also due to visit Mumbai where visits the defence shipyard Mazagon Dockyards Ltd (MDL), the premier dockyard for the construction of warships for the Indian Navy.

He will also meet the Indian Navy's western naval command chief, vice admiral Sanjeev Bhasin, and discuss with ways and means to increase cooperation between the navies of the two countries.

The visit follows up on the desire expressed by the prime ministers of the two nations that defence and security relationship between the two nations be enhanced.

The navies and air forces of both nations have been conducting war games with each other at regular intervals.