Indian Navy Ship at Auckland

[Dave Homewood]

This comes from the NZDF site
www.nzdf.mil.nz/news/media-releases/20060703-instva.htm

Indian Navy Ship to Visit Auckland
The Indian Navy frigate INS TABAR arrived in Devonport on 2 July for a five day port visit. This visit is very similar to recent visits by HMNZS TE MANA to the Indian ports of Cochin and Mumbai (2-13 June), and signals increasing interactions between our two navies. The Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Naval Command, Indian Navy, Vice Admiral Sereesh Mehta will also be visiting New Zealand over the period.

While HMNZS TE MANA was in India, the NZ Chief of Navy, RA David Ledson, visited the Indian Naval HQ in Delhi and ships and facilities in Mumbai.

These were the RNZN’s first formal port visits to India in many years. Other ships have previously paid operational visits (for refuelling and recreation) to Indian ports while deploying to or from the Arabian Gulf, but this year’s visits were in support of our High Commission and were fully committed to diplomatic and Navy-to-Navy events. The Chief of Navy is very pleased with the impact of our ship’s visit to India: "Our ships are an ideal platform to achieve a 'whole of government' impact on the guests and officials of the nations we visit. While in India, TE MANA, working with MFAT, was able to market New Zealand to a wide range of Indian people at all levels of government and in one of the world's largest cities. In Mumbai I heard nothing but positives about our sailors - I look forward to more interaction, both professionally and socially with the Indian Navy."

Particulars of INS TABAR – Missile Frigate
Hull Number F44
Commanding Officer - Captain H.C.S Bisht
Complement - 34 Officers - 305 Sailors
Length - 124.8 metres
Draught - 4.20 metres
Displacement - 4250 tons
Beam - 15.2 metres
Highlights of the Visit of INS TABAR include a powhiri for the 50 members of the INS TABAR crew, a session with the bands of both INS TABAR, and the Navy Band and a soccer match between INS TABAR and the Navy Soccer Team at Ngataringa Bay Sports Grounds.

INS TABAR departs Auckland on Thursday 6 July.

For more information and requests for interviews, please contact Lieutenant Commander Barbara Cassin, Navy Public Relations Manager, 021 244 0638

[steve]

I missed out on this...nothing in the papers...really annoying. I have since asked to be placed on the mailing list for the excellent magazine" Navy Today" Free of charge with really indepth infomation..Is the airforce mag as readily available?

[Dave Homewood]

Yes. Air Force News is free too I understand.

[phasselgren]

It´s also possible to download these two magazines but sometimes you have to patient. They release several numbers of Navy Today at the same time.

[phil82]

Air Force News is free; all you have to do is get yourself on the mailing list>

Send an e-mail to: [e-mail]

[corsair67]

I wonder if they'll send it to Canberra? ;D

I've give them a try.

[steve]

phil 82 ,,,thanks for the info...as a young fellow back in the sixties i used to write to all the bases and receive their info...aerial pictures,, magazines etc great excitement in getting the mail! Really interesting viewing info from ex Air Force guys like you and Dave etc...wonderful insight without constaints of employment and the like....

[phil82]

I never felt any constraints of employment as a serving officer Steve, you simply had to apply a lot of commonsense when making statements to the press etc! The Air Fives are 'family' however, and there were lots of things you just didn't talk about because they were no one else's business but ours! Other than that, you'd be surprised at just how much responsibility everyone, at any level, is given from the time they qualify as tradespeople. I had, on occasion, the opportunity to feel immense pride in what our young people would achieve, especially when things weren't going quite right!In my considered opinion, there is a huge difference between someone who has a year or two of Service experience compared to the guys he went to school with.