India, UK hold annual bilateral maritime exercise 'Konkan' in Arabian Sea

The annual bilateral maritime exercise between the Indian Navy and UK's Royal Navy was held off the Konkan coast in the Arabian Sea from March 20-22, an official statement said on Thursday.

INS Trishul, a guided missile frigate, and HMS Lancaster, a Type 23 guided missile frigate, participated in 'Konkan 2023' and undertook multiple maritime drills to enhance interoperability and imbibe best practices, the Indian Navy said in the statement.

The exercises covered all domains of maritime operations, air, surface and sub-surface, and included gunnery shoots on surface inflatable target Killer Tomato', helicopter operations, anti-air and anti-submarine warfare drills, Visit Board Search and Seizure (VBSS), ship manoeuvres and exchange of personnel, it said.

"The exercise yielded excellent training value to the personnel of both navies. A high level of professionalism and enthusiasm was also evident during its conduct," the Indian Navy said.

"The focus personnel exhibited on op-readiness, enhancing interoperability, and improving the ability to conduct joint operations will go a long way in bolstering the combined efforts of the IN (Indian Navy) and RN (Royal Navy) to strengthen maritime security and uphold a rules-based order in the region," it said.