Context: Indian Naval Ship (INS) Pralaya arrived at Abu Dhabi, UAE to participate in the NAVDEX 21 (Naval Defence Exhibition) and IDEX 21 (International Defence Exhibition), scheduled from 20 to 25 February 2021.

Background

• The defence relations between India and UAE have been steadily growing since the upgradation of bilateral relations to a ‘Comprehensive Strategic Partnership’.
• The inaugural edition of Indian Navy – UAE Navy bilateral exercise GULF STAR - 1 was conducted in March 2018 towards enhancing interactions between the two navies.

About NAVDEX 21

• It provides a dedicated and focused platform for international naval defence and maritime security companies to showcase their technologies and services to an international audience.
• It offers exhibitors the unique opportunity to promote the latest in naval, maritime and coastal security technology, equipment and crafts.

About IDEX 21

• It is the only international defence exhibition and conference in the MENA region demonstrating the latest technology across land, sea and air sectors of defence.
• It is a unique platform to establish and strengthen relationships with government departments, businesses and armed forces throughout the region.
• It takes place biennially at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC).
• The exhibition takes over 100% of the state-of-the-art exhibition centre, utilising 133,000sqm of event space.

Additional Information

MENA Region: MENA is an acronym for the Middle East and North Africa region and includes approximately 19 countries.

• The MENA region accounts for approximately 6% of the world's population, 60% of the world's oil reserves, and 45% of the world's natural gas reserves.
• Countries are Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.

INS Pralaya

• It is the second ship of the indigenously built Prabal Class Missile Vessels.
• It is fitted with an impressive array of weapons and sensors.
• It is built indigenously by Goa Shipyard Limited.
• It is a versatile platform capable of performing a wide variety of surface warfare missions.