New Delhi, Aug 01: Two Indian naval warships have returned home after successfully providing security cover to the African summit meeting held at Mozambique capital Maputo with the officers and sailors being patted by President Joaquim Alberto Chissano for their professionalism. Chissano personally came on board the two warships, guided missile destroyer INS Ranjit and offshore patrol vessel INS Sukanya, to praise the Indian naval contingent.

The two warships, a naval spokesman here said, carried out patrols of Maputo Harbour and outside from June 26 to July 13, as 53 African heads of state met for the summit of the African Union. The deployment of the Indian warships had been personally requested by President Chissano to Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The two warships, the spokesman said, reached Maputo on June 23 and carried out massive reconnaissance of the harbour before deployment for the security cover.

In the course of their deployment, the personnel from the two warships also imparted basic sailor training to 100 personnel of the Mozambique Navy.

INS Sukanya which carried a large consignment of medicines were handed by the Indian High Commissioner to the Mozambique health minister for distribution. The medical officers of the warships held three medical camps treating more than 650 patients. Bureau Report