India – Mozambique bilateral relations

In September 1986, India was asked to provide technical assistance and security forces to protect the Beira Corridor. Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe asked for the deployment of a squadron of Indian Air Force Mig-21 aircraft with Indian pilots to provide air cover for the corridor: half the aircraft were to be based in Harare and half in Chimoio, Mozambique. But Rajiv Gandhi decided that deployment of the Indian Air Force to Mozambique was too much of a reversal of India’s public stance against the overseas deployment of Indian forces or carried too much risk for India. New Delhi may have decided instead to secretly provide assistance to the Mozambique through providing what has been called ‘a small naval presence’ in Mozambique waters.

The two states also work closely on issues of security, especially maritime safety in the Indian Ocean; in June 2011, government ministers met and agreed to work together on the issue. In 2010, the Indian Navy rescued a Mozambican vessel from pirates. In 2012, the Indian Navy agreed to commence antipiracy patrols in the Mozambique Channel, apparently without prior consultation with South Africa.

Indian Navy has berthing rights in Mozambique. When Cyclone Idai hit Mozambique, India diverted three    ships of the Indian Navy to provide assistance. The ships INS Sujata, ICGS Sarathi and INS Shardul rescued 192 people and provided medical assistance to 1,381 people. Fourth ship INS Magar joined in by bringing relief materials. Helicopters from the ship made sorties conducting aerial survey helping the disaster management efforts and dropped food, water and medical supplies in cyclone hit areas.