As part of its capacity-building initiatives with friendly nations in the Indian Ocean Region, India has donated two fast interceptor vessels to the Mozambique Navy. The formal handover ceremony took place on November 8 in the port city of Nacala, following their delivery by the Magar class amphibious warfare vessel INS Gharial.
The event was attended by Robert Shetkintong, the High Commissioner of India in Mozambique; Colonel Puneet Attri, India’s newly appointed Defence Adviser at Maputo; and Commander Rajan Chib, Commanding Officer of INS Gharial. The vessels were accepted on behalf of the Government of Mozambique by Augusto Casimiro Mueio, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of National Defence.
The Solas Marine water-jet-propelled boats, which were donated, boast a top speed of 45 knots and a range of 200 nautical miles at 12 knots. They can accommodate a crew of five personnel and are outfitted with machine guns and bullet-resistant cabins. According to the Indian government, these vessels will significantly enhance Mozambique’s efforts to combat maritime terrorism and the ongoing insurgency in the Cabo Delgado province.
This donation is part of India’s broader efforts to bolster Mozambique’s maritime security capabilities. In July 2019, India gifted two 30-meter-long Larsen & Toubro interceptors (named Namiliti and Umbeluzi), followed by two fast interceptor crafts in January 2022 of the same class as the recently delivered vessels (16-meter Solas Marine vessels).
To ensure the effective operation and maintenance of these vessels, the resident Indian Coast Guard Afloat Support Team at Maputo provides on-the-job training. Since 2019, the interceptor vessels gifted by India have played a pivotal role in anti-insurgency operations, maritime patrol and interdiction, and logistics support missions.
The Indian Navy has a history of collaborating with several friendly littoral states in the Indian Ocean Region, equipping and training their maritime security forces to counter challenges such as piracy, drug and human trafficking, Illegal Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, and maritime terrorism. The Indian Navy has also been a first responder in providing Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) during natural calamities and contingencies like the COVID-19 pandemic.
India and Mozambique share a robust strategic partnership that has grown stronger over the years. India is fully committed to supporting its maritime neighbors in the Indian Ocean Region in line with the vision of Security and Growth for all in the region (SAGAR) advocated by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.
Further enhancing this cooperation, India has provided training opportunities for the Mozambique Armed Forces in various professional institutions and gifted an Infantry Weapons Training Simulator to Mozambique in November last year, which is installed at the Army Practicing School Manhica, near Maputo.
In April this year, India and Mozambique held the inaugural India-Mozambique Defence Industrial Interaction in Maputo, providing an opportunity for government and private defence companies from India to collaborate with Mozambican defense officials.
India has been cultivating strong relations with Mozambique and other African nations, notably participating in the second Tri-Lateral Exercise (Trilat) in March 2024 with the Mozambican and Tanzanian navies. This year, India sent two naval vessels, the cadet training ship INS Tir (A86) and the Sukanya-class patrol ship INS Sujata (P56), for the exercise aimed at strengthening cooperation between India, Mozambique, and Tanzania.
The first edition of the India-Mozambique-Tanzania (IMT) Trilat exercise was conducted in October 2022, involving the participation of the frigate INS Tarkash (F50) with the Tanzanian and Mozambican navies. Previously, Indian Naval Ships Sujata, Sunayna, and Sumedha undertook joint exclusive economic zone surveillance missions with the Mozambique Navy to strengthen maritime security in the region and conducted harbor and sea training for Mozambique Navy personnel.
India’s continuous support and cooperation with Mozambique underline its commitment to fostering regional stability and enhancing maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region.