After navigating Red Sea Houthi threat, battle-ready Dutch warship docks in Kochi, boosts naval ties

Kochi: Marking a significant milestone in Indo-Dutch maritime relations, the Royal Netherlands Navy’s air defence and command frigate HNLMS De Ruyter (F804) arrived at Kochi harbour on Monday. The visit, characterised by high-level diplomacy and tactical professional exchange, underscores the Netherlands' commitment to a “free and open” Indo-Pacific and serves as the first major international stop of the vessel’s five-and-a-half-month global deployment.

Escorted by Indian Navy Fast Interceptor Crafts (FICs) and greeted by the rousing tunes of a Naval Band, the De Zeven Provinciën-class frigate’s arrival coincided with the visit of a high-level Dutch delegation to the Southern Naval Command. The delegation included Major General (Royal Marines) Rob De Wit, Deputy Commander of the Royal Netherlands Navy, and Marisa Gerards, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to India.

In a moving tribute coinciding with the National Remembrance Day of the Netherlands (May 4), Major General De Wit and Ambassador Gerards laid wreaths at the Southern Naval Command (SNC) War Memorial to honour fallen service members.

The ship's commanding officer, Commander Rodger De Wit, explained that the deployment is structured in phases, with the current focus on strengthening ties with regional partners.

“We departed Den Helder three weeks ago... our first real stop is here in Kochi, India,” Commander Rodger told the media during an interaction onboard the vessel on Tuesday. “The first phase is here in the Indo-Pacific. We’re gonna visit like-minded countries to basically enhance and strengthen our diplomatic, economic, and security ties,” he added.

Following the Kochi visit, the ship will sail to Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, South Korea, and Tokyo. The journey will then lead to Hawaii for RIMPAC (The Rim of the Pacific), the world’s largest multinational exercise.

“An Indian ship will be there as well, so we’re gonna train there with the Indian Navy as well,” the Commander said regarding the upcoming Pacific exercises.

Navigating high-threat zones
The De Ruyter reached India after a tense passage through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. While the vessel did not pass through the Strait of Hormuz, which is the centre point in the ongoing tensions between Iran, Israel and the US, Commander Rodger detailed the intense preparations required for the Houthi-threatened waters of the Red Sea.

“We specifically trained for that passage because there’s a higher threat. The ship was ready to pass through those waters. We were more prepared to go through there. But after that, when we went into the Indian Ocean, we just sailed directly to Kochi,” he added.

The Commander added that while the ship was available to support EU missions like Operation Aspides to escort merchant ships through the Bab el-Mandeb, no specific requests were made during their transit.

The Bab el-Mandeb - Arabic for “Gate of Tears”- is a critical maritime chokepoint, just 20 miles wide, linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and the wider Indian Ocean. Positioned between Yemen, Djibouti, and Eritrea, it serves as a vital but high-risk corridor for global trade, especially for oil shipments bound for Europe. In recent times, the strait has drawn heightened attention due to Houthi attacks on ships.

Ruyter's technical might and specialised defence
As an air defence and command frigate, the De Ruyter is a sophisticated platform designed for sub-surface, surface, and particularly area air defence.

The ship carries a standard crew of 170, which grows to 185 with the NH90 helicopter detachment. It features 225 beds to accommodate a multinational command staff.

It is equipped with the SMART-L radar, a long-range surveillance system. “We can detect ballistic missiles with it up to a fairly long range,” Rodger explained.

Specifically for this deployment, the ship was fitted with non-standard counter-drone technology to mitigate threats encountered in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

Deepening cooperation with the Indian Navy
Beyond the technical specs, the visit focused on “interoperability”, the ability of the two navies to work together despite different procedural frameworks. The delegation visited SNC’s professional training establishments and Cochin Shipyard Limited to explore India’s shipbuilding capabilities.

On Thursday, the De Ruyter will depart Kochi to Indonesia. While sailing out, the ship will conduct a Passage Exercise (PASSEX) with an Indian Naval ship.

“It’s mainly gonna be a training on manoeuvering and to practice the interoperability to see how we and the Indian Navy can work together while we’re not part of NATO,” Rodger said.

Cultural exploration in Kochi
The choice of Kochi was intentional, given the shared history between the Netherlands and the Kerala coast. Crew members spent their shore leave visiting Fort Kochi and the 17th-century Dutch Cemetery.

“The crew recognised the Dutch architecture in the houses in Fort Kochi. They found it really interesting. They find the local cuisine really interesting too," Commander Rodger added.