The South Asian navy was present at the latest Doha International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference (DIMDEX) in Qatar from March 21 to 23, with more than five ships from Bangladesh, India and Pakistan docked in Qatar. A third of the 14 warships in the port of Hamad, north of the capital Doha.
Bangladesh Navy dispatches its Shadhinota-class (Type C13B) frigate BNS Protasha (F114). Built by China’s Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Group, the 90-meter corvette is derived from the Jiangdao-class (Type 056) design in service with the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN).
The Indian Navy showcased one of its largest major surface warfare platforms, the indigenously built Kolkata-class (Project 15A) guided-missile destroyer INS CalcuttaIndia also highlighted its increasingly close engagement with Qatar, with a high-level delegation led by the commander-in-chief of the Western Naval Command, Lieutenant General Ajendra Bahadur Singh and other senior officials.
Lieutenant General Singh also presented the Indian perspective at the Middle East Naval Commanders Conference (MENC) during DIMDEX 2022.
At the same time, the Pakistan Navy sent three ships: Zulfiquar (F-22P) class frigate PNS shamhillAzmat-class missile patrol boat PNS Azmatand Kashmir-class patrol ship PMSS ColageIt is worth noting that all three ships were built by or based on Chinese shipyard designs.
Commissioned in February 2010, frigate shamhill Built by Shanghai Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard, it is based on the Navy’s updated Jiangwei II (Type 053H3) class design.lead missile patrol boat Azmat Also built in China by Tianjin Xingang Shipyard using the Chinese Navy’s Houjian-class design, although her sister ship was subsequently built locally by Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works (KSEW).Although built by KSEW in Pakistan, the patrol ship Colage Nonetheless, it is based on the China Coast Guard platform developed at the Wenchong Huangpu Shipyard in Guangzhou and commissioned in July 2018.
by Jr Ng
