New Delhi: After years of training and planning, Indian Navy is adopting a new campaign for visibility as a regional maritime power with its assistance being sought in Indian Ocean as well as beyond it.

After returning from over a month-long deployment to ensure maritime security cover for the African heads of state summit in Mozambique, the Navy has been asked by the Mauritius government for surveillance of its exclusive economic zone.

Two Naval warships offshore patrol vessels - INS Suvarna and INS Sharada - were now maintaining a presence near the Mauritius coastline, Navy's spokesman said in New Delhi.

He said the request from the island government came close on heels of Indian Navy responding to another SOS from Port Louis to tow the country's coastguard vessel vigilante to Mumbai for repairs at the Naval dockyard.

INS Gaj, the Indian Naval tugboat executed the job of tugging the Mauritius boat 2500 nautical miles flawlessly.

Closer home responding to an SOS from Sri Lankan government, Indian Naval warships ferried rescue boats as well as medicines and rations to flood stricken people in mid May.

Keeping up this year's slogan of 'taking to the blue waters, Indian Naval ships are headed for Eastern choke point of the Indian Ocean for joint manoeuvres with Singapore Navy.

Two warships -- Russian Kashin class missile destroyers and INS Rana and Rajput -- will along with Singapore Navy be on a month-long anti-piracy mission near the Malacca Straits.

PTI