New Delhi, Jan 20 (IANS): HMS Spey -- an offshore patrol vessel of the Royal Navy of the UK -- has reached Kochi on a goodwill visit to India.

The Ministry of Defence said that the ship was accorded a warm reception amidst fanfare by the Indian Naval band on arrival.

“During the port call at Kochi, professional and social interactions and sports fixtures were held between the Indian Navy and Royal Navy,” the ministry said.

It said that the Royal Navy personnel visited onboard INS Sunayna and shared best practices towards enhancing interoperability between the two navies.

“Cdr Paul Caddy, Commanding Officer, HMS Spey called on Cmde Sarvpreet Singh, Chief Staff Officer (Operations), Southern Naval Command and discussed issues of mutual interest,” the ministry said.

It said that a team from Headquarters Sea training (HQST) conducted a training module on Force Protection Measures, Damage Control and Firefighting onboard HMS Spey.

The ministry said that these exercises aided teams from HQST and the ship to understand the procedures and SOPs followed by both the navies.

“The professional exchange exemplified the commitment of both navies to foster strong naval partnerships, emphasising the significance of mutual cooperation in maritime security and training,” the ministry said.