New Delhi, Apr 4: An Indian warship has begun a visit to Saudi Arabia and will participate in a military exercise with the navy of the Gulf nation in reflection of multi-faceted bilateral defence cooperation, officials said on Sunday.

An Indian Navy spokesperson said frigate INS Talwar arrived at the Jubail port of Saudi Arabia on Saturday.

"This visit underscores deep-rooted friendly ties and multi-faceted defence cooperation between India and Saudi Arabia," he said.

The official said the ship will be undertaking a passage exercise with Royal Saudi naval forces on its departure.

Another official said both sides are keen to expand maritime cooperation in sync with the overall deepening of defence and security cooperation.

The defence and security ties between India and Saudi Arabia are witnessing gradual expansion.

Chief of Army Staff General MM Naravane visited Saudi Arabia in December last in the first-ever visit by a head of the 13 lakh-strong Army to the strategically important Gulf nation.

General Naravane held extensive talks with senior military officials of Saudi Arabia with an aim to enhance bilateral defence cooperation.

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ISLAMABAD: At least two more cases of poliovirus were reported in Pakistan, taking the number of infections to 52 so far this year, a report said on Friday.

“The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health has confirmed the detection of two more wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) cases in Pakistan," an official statement said.

The fresh infections — a boy and a girl — were reported from the Dera Ismail Khan district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province.

“Genetic sequencing of the samples collected from the children is underway," the statement read. Dera Ismail Khan, one of the seven polio-endemic districts of southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, has reported five polio cases so far this year.

Of the 52 cases in the country this year, 24 are from Balochistan, 13 from Sindh, 13 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and one each from Punjab and Islamabad.

There is no cure for polio. Only multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine and completion of the routine vaccination schedule for all children under the age of five can keep them protected.