Context:

• INS Tarkash, a frontline warship of the Indian Navy, made a port call at Karlskrona, Sweden
• This marks the first visit of an Indian Naval Ship to Swedish shores after a gap of more than 15 years.

About:

• INS Tarkash (F50) is the second Teg-class frigate constructed for the Indian Navy. She is part of the second batch of Teg-class frigates ordered by the Indian Navy.
• Operation Raahat
• v  In March 2015, Tarkash was deployed with INS Mumbai and INS Sumitra as part of Operation Raahat to provide protection and support to Indian ships and aircraft involved in the evacuation of Indian citizens from Yemen during the military intervention.

Indian Navy and Sweden Navy:

• The visit is part of Indian Navy’s mission of building ‘Bridges of Friendship’ and strengthening international cooperation with friendly countries.
• The current visit seeks to underscore India’s peaceful presence and solidarity with friendly countries, thereby allowing both India and Sweden to meet the growing challenges of the maritime environment.
• India and Sweden have had a number of high-level bilateral visits and interactions resulting in a rapid growth in relations across a broad spectrum.
• The two navies have also been regular contributors to the global operations against piracy.