WASHINGTON, Jan 19 (UNI): The formal transfer of American naval ship 'USS Trenton, Landing Platform Dock (LPD)', to the Indian Navy has marked the beginning of a significant era in the emerging cooperation between the armed forces of the two countries.
The transfer took place yesterday.
Naval Attach‚ in the Indian Embassy here, Commodore P Murugesan, formally accepted the ship from the US Navy.
This is the first ship that India has acquired from the US.
The ship will be the first of its type for the Indian Navy.
With a displacement of about 17,000 tons, the LPD is set to be the second largest ship in the Indian Navy, after the aircraft carrier 'Viraat'.
According to experts, the ship will add punch to India's maritime forces with its capacity to participate in naval and peacekeeping operations and humanitarian relief.
It has an unrivalled capacity to carry close to a battalion strength troops and sustain them over a long period.
The US Congress cleared the transfer of the ship under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) in August 2005, and India signed the "Letter of Acceptance" on July 31 last, acquiring the ship.
The Indian crew of 27 officers and 302 sailors have been trained at Norfolk in the US.