Philip Nwosu

The Indian government said it will be willing to assist Nigeria in combating terrorism and checking insurgents.

The High Commissioner of India to Nigeria, Abhay Thakur made the pledge during a visit to the Nigerian Navy Headquarters in Abuja. He called for collaboration between Nigeria and India.

Thakur said Nigeria Navy and Indian Navy can collaborate in the areas of training, hydrography, security in the Gulf of Guinea and in developing platforms such as training ships and landing ship tanks.

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He said he has held discussions with the Minister of Science and Technology and the National Security Adviser on the possible areas of cooperation between the Indian Government and the Nigerian Government, adding that the Indian Government will be willing to assist in the areas of combating insurgency and terrorism.

He said the Indian Navy will provide additional training slots for Nigerian Navy as well as providing hydrographic assistance to the force. Responding, the CNS, V Adm Ibok-Ete Ibas noted that the Indian Navy has always offered great support to the NN in the areas of training and military cooperation. 

On training, V Adm Ibok-Ete Ibas stated that the NN will look at the various training billets of the IN to see areas where the two navies could have exchange programmes. Also, the CNS stated that the NN would leverage on the vast experience of the IN Dockyard as it tries to develop and expand its already existing dockyards.