The time-honoured tradition of visiting warships was continued in style in Table Bay Harbour today when two Indian Navy ships arrived for a three-day visit.

The INS Delhi, a powerful destroyer, and the INS Ganga, a guided-missile frigate, arrived in port early today. Two others, INS Trishul, a guided missile frigate, and Aditya, a replenishment ship, arrived in Durban on a similar visit earlier this week.

The two ships arriving at Cape Town docked in the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, dwarfing the French Navy patrol ship Nivose, a regular visitor, that arrived here on Tuesday.

The Delhi and Ganga had to sail through some rough weather as they approached Cape Town during the previous two days.

“It was a good voyage, but the seas were very rough near the end,” an officer aboard the Delhi said.

“We are very happy to be here, but it is a pity about the rain. We would like to see Cape Town. It is our bad luck.”

Soon after their arrival, some sailors on duty began the traditional tasks of painting and removing rust, while colleagues finished off setting the mooring lines and putting up rat guards on the mooring lines to prevent Cape Town’s dock rat population from spreading their influence to distant shores.

The visit by the Indian vessels comes a month before the two countries’ heads of state plan to meet for discussions on trade and other common interests. The Delhi is the first of three destroyers designed and built in India. Ganga, the smaller of the two, can also play an anti-ship or anti-submarine role.

Delhi and Ganga will take part in exercises with South African Navy vessels after leaving port on Monday. The ships will be open to people tomorrow and Saturday from 11am to 3.30pm.

With acknowledgements to Henri du Plessis and the Cape Argus.