Naval Exercise

India, UK launch eight-day mega naval exercise in Western Indian Ocean

The navies of India and the UK kick-started an eight-day mega wargame in the Western Indian Ocean in line with their focus to boost overall military ties. The UK's Carrier Strike Group (CSG), led by HMS Prince of Wales aircraft carrier, has been deployed for the Exercise Konkan. The exercise is a reaffirmation of the shared commitment to ensuring secure, open and free seas and will exemplify the "comprehensive strategic partnership" outlined in the India-UK Vision 2035, the Indian Navy said. The exercise is aimed at increasing combined maritime and air capabilities between the UK and Indian navies on the high seas. "The UK and India believe in an Indo-Pacific that is free and open. We share an ambition for a modern defence and security partnership, a fundamental pillar of UK-India Vision 2035, agreed by our prime ministers this year," Lindy Cameron, the British High Commissioner to India, said. "The engagements between the Carrier Strike Groups of our two navies demonstrate our ..

US, South Korea, Japan launch joint air, naval drills in show of strength

The United States, South Korea and Japan opened an air and naval exercise off a South Korean island Monday in their latest joint drill condemned by North Korea as a "reckless show of strength." The exercise called Freedom Edge is aimed at strengthening the countries' combined operational capabilities in the sea, air and cyberspace and is necessary to counter North Korea's growing nuclear and missile threats, South Korea's defence ministry said. The US Indo-Pacific Command said the exercise will include US Marine and Air Force aerial assets and feature enhanced ballistic-missile and air-defence drills, medical evacuations and maritime operations training, making it "the most advanced demonstration of trilateral defense cooperation to date." The exercise off South Korea's southern Jeju Island runs through Friday. The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un earlier condemned the drills in state media, saying they show the countries' confrontational stance toward the ...

Indian Navy to hold maiden exercise with 10 African nations in April

In another first, Navy to deploy ship with joint crew from India and nine other nations

India to carry out mega naval exercise with African nations next month

The Indian Navy will carry out a mega wargame with several African nations next month to expand its overall defence cooperation with the continent, in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's new vision for engagement with the Global South. Modi announced the vision MAHASAGAR or "Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions" for India's engagement with the Global South during his recent visit to Mauritius. Deputy Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Tarun Sobti said the Indian Navy and the Tanzania Peoples Defence Force will co-host the exercise, titled "AIKEYME" or Africa-India Key Maritime Engagement, off Dar-es-Salaam in Tanzania in mid-April and it is set to be inaugurated by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. India and Africa have been cooperating in tackling maritime security threats, such as piracy, illegal activities including trafficking, unregulated and unreported fishing, through sharing of information and surveillance. However, the "AIKEYME" exercise

India concludes 3-month-long mega naval Theatre Level Operational Exercise

India concluded a three-month-long mega naval exercise in the Indian Ocean that featured more than 65 warships, 10 submarines and over 80 aircraft amid China's increasing maritime activities in the region. The theatre of operations for the exercise was from the Strait of Hormuz in the West to the Sunda and Lombok Straits in the East. The Indian Navy said the Theatre Level Operational Exercise (TROPEX) marked the successful culmination of an intense operational campaign designed to assess the force's operational preparedness and material readiness for combat. It reaffirmed the Navy's commitment to remain a "combat-ready, credible, cohesive and future-ready force", it said. "TROPEX witnessed participation of 65-70 Indian Naval ships, 9-10 submarines and over 80 aircraft of different types," the Navy said. "The exercise achieved a very high level of operational synergy in planning and execution of theatre level scenarios with the other services," it said. "It witnessed extensive ...

Taiwan demonstrates sea defences against potential Chinese attack

Taiwan on Thursday demonstrated its sea defences against a potential Chinese attack as tensions rise with Beijing, part of a multitiered strategy to deter an invasion from the mainland. The island's navy highlighted its Kuang Hua VI fast attack missile boats and Tuo Chiang-class corvettes in waters near Taiwan's largest port of Kaohsiung, a major hub for international trade considered key to resupplying Chinese forces should they establish a beachhead on the island. The Kuang Hua VI boats, with a crew of 19, carry indigenously developed Hsiung Feng II anti-ship missiles and displayed their ability to take to the sea in an emergency to intercept enemy ships about to cross the 44-kilometer (24-nautical mile) limit of Taiwan's contiguous zone, within which governments are permitted to take defensive action. China routinely sends ships and planes to challenge Taiwan's willingness and ability to counter intruders, prompting Taiwan to scramble jets, activate missile systems and dispatch .

Indian Navy Day 2024: History, theme significance, and celebrations

The Indian Navy Day is an occasion to pay tribute to naval officers who play a vital role in safeguarding the nation on the coasts. Every year, Indian Navy Day is celebrated on December 4

Sea Vigil-24 exercise to test coastal defence preparedness, says commodore

The Indian Navy is set to conduct the fourth edition of the 'Pan-India' Coastal Defence Exercise 'Sea Vigil-24' on November 20 and 21

China flexes naval might, reveals 2 new jets and dual-aircraft carrier ops

Indian Navy also conducted dual-aircraft carrier operations in June last year, involving INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant

MALABAR 2024: Indian Navy chief, Japan SDF head hold meet to boost ties

Malabar planning and exercise lead rotates each year among participating nations, with exercise location to demonstrate the combined ability to exercise across entire West Pacific and Indian Ocean

Naval ship Tabar participates in India-France mega naval exercise 'Varuna'

The navies of India and France carried out a mega wargame in the Mediterranean Sea in reflection of their common strategic interest in the maritime domain. Indian naval ship Tabar and long-range maritime surveillance aircraft P-8I participated in the 22nd edition of the Varuna exercise, the Indian Navy said. The mega exercise took place from September 2 to 4. In addition to INS Tabar, the Indian Navy was represented by the ship borne helicopters at the exercise. The French side was represented by frontline ship FS Provence, submarine Suffren, fighters MB339 and helicopters NH90; Dauphin. A series of advanced naval operations were conducted during the exercise, involving enhanced tactical manoeuvers, advanced anti-submarine warfare exercises, air defence drills and live weapon firings, the Navy said. The bilateral exercise Varuna, which began in 2001 is the backbone of India-France naval ties and has evolved significantly over the years towards enhancing interoperability and excha

Indian Navy conducts extensive exercise 'Poorvi Leher' on East Coast

The Indian Navy on Saturday said it carried out an extensive exercise along the East Coast as part of efforts to check its preparedness to meet any maritime security challenges. The exercise 'Poorvi Leher' witnessed participation of ships, submarines, aircraft and special naval forces. "The Indian Navy conducted Exercise Poorvi Lehar on East Coast under the Operational Control of the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command," the Navy said. It said the exercise was aimed at validation of procedures towards assessment of the Indian Navy's preparedness to meet maritime security challenges in the region. The exercise was conducted in multiple phases, including combat training in a realistic scenario during the tactical phase and successful conduct of various firings during the weapon phase, towards reaffirming the Indian Navy's capability to deliver ordnance on target, it said. "With operation of aircraft from diverse locations, a near continuous maritime domain awaren

INS Sumedha participates in maiden India-EU Joint Naval Exercise 2023

INS Sumedha, an indigenously built Naval Offshore Patrol Vessel, participated in the maiden India-EU Joint Naval Exercise 2023 from October 24-26.The exercise was conducted in two phases, which included a sea phase on October 24, followed by a harbour phase from 25 to 26 October 2023 at Tema, Ghana."INSSumedha's participation in the maiden #India - #EuropeanUnion Joint Naval Exercise & the anti-piracy patrols in Gulf of Guinea region - 12,000 Nautical Miles (22,200 km) from India stands testimony to the #IndianNavy's enhanced access, reach & sustenance," the Indian Navy posted on X.The sea phase witnessed air and surface exercises such as communication drills, anti-piracy and cross-deck helicopter operations.The harbour phase involved wide-ranging activities comprising cross-deck visits, professional exchanges, knowledge sharing and discussions on contingencies for the exchange of best practices among Indian and EU navies.The joint exercise at sea and professional ...

Indian, US navies conduct 11-day exercise to boost interoperability

The navies of India and the US carried out a 11-day military exercise in Kochi that focused on boosting interoperability and operational coordination. The seventh edition of the Salvage and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) exercise concludes on Thursday, the Indian Navy said. The two navies have been participating in joint salvage and EOD exercises since 2005. The exercise saw deployment of frontline warships from both sides in addition to specialist diving and EOD teams. "The diving teams of both the countries shared experiences on maritime salvage and trained together in various facets of EOD operations on land as well at sea," the Indian Navy said in a statement. It said the exercise also saw the conduct of joint training exercises towards enhancing interoperability, cohesiveness and gaining from best practices in maritime salvage and EOD operations. "The constructive engagements on operational terms enhanced the skill-sets of the diving teams in a number of diverse disciplin

Indian, Japanese navies kick off 6-day wargame from Visakhapatnam

The Indian and Japanese navies on Wednesday kicked off a six-day wargame off Visakhapatnam to further expand their overall military cooperation. The Indian Navy is hosting the seventh edition of the Japan-India Maritime Exercise (JIMEX) and this edition marks the 11th anniversary of wargame since its inception in 2012. The Indian Navy has deployed India's first indigenously built guided missile destroyer INS Delhi, indigenously built anti-submarine warfare corvette INS Kamorta, fleet tanker INS Shakti, a submarine, maritime patrol aircraft P8I and ship-borne helicopters and fighter aircraft for the exercise, officials said. The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) is represented by the guided missile destroyer JS Samidare and its integral helicopters. The exercise will be conducted over six days in two phases -- a harbour phase that will be followed by warfighting skills at sea. "The JIMEX 23 provides an opportunity to learn from each other's best practices and facilitates ..

India, France, UAE begin two-day mega wargame exercise in Gulf of Oman

The navies of India, France and the United Arab Emirates have carried out a two-day mega wargame in the Gulf of Oman reflecting their growing cooperation to deal with challenges in the maritime sphere. It was the first edition of the wargame involving navies of the three countries, officials said on Thursday. Indian Naval ship INS Tarkash, French ship Surcouf, French Rafale aircraft and the UAE Navy's maritime patrol aircraft participated in the exercise that began on Wednesday. "The exercise featured a wide spectrum of naval operations such as surface warfare, involving tactical firing and drills for missile engagements on surface targets, helicopter cross deck landing operations, advanced air defence exercise and boarding operations," said an Indian Navy official. The official said the exercise aimed to enhance trilateral cooperation between the three navies and pave the way for adopting measures towards addressing traditional and non-traditional threats in the maritime environme

21st edition of naval exercise 'Varuna' between India and France begins

Initiated in 1993, the exercise was christened 'Varuna' in 2001 and has become "a hallmark of IndiaFrance strategic bilateral relationship"

Indian naval ship INS Delhi arrives in Sri Lanka's port city of Trincomalee

The Sri Lankan Navy welcomed the Indian naval ship INS Delhi, which arrived in the north-eastern port city of Trincomalee on Sunday, with 390 crew members on board on a two-day official visit. The INS Delhi is 163.2 metre-long, and is the lead ship of her class of guided-missile destroyers of the Indian Navy. It comes days ahead of External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar's visit to the island nation, scheduled between January 19 to 20. During the ship's two-day stay, the crew will participate in numerous programmes organised by the Sri Lanka Navy, with a view to promoting cooperation and goodwill between the navies of both the countries. Such naval exercises enable both countries to overcome common maritime challenges, through enhanced cooperation.

Nord Stream explosions show the deep sea is now a zone of conflict

The series of pipeline explosions have yet to be definitively proved as sabotage or attributed to any nation, but most analysts believe that the likely culprit is Russia.

Solomon Islands restricts ships' arrival amid concerns over security pact

The Solomon Islands on Wednesday asked countries to not send naval vessels to the South Pacific nation until approval processes are overhauled, amid concerns over a new security pact between the Solomons and China. The government made the request after the US Coast Guard cutter Oliver Henry and the British navy patrol boat HMS Spey cancelled planned port calls last week due to bureaucratic delays. The United States and Britain are among countries concerned that a new security pact with Beijing could lead to a Chinese naval base being constructed less than 2,000 kilometres (1,200 miles) off Australia's northeast coast. Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare said the Oliver Henry crew had failed to provide required information in time for his office to approve the visit. The Oliver Henry refuelled at Papua New Guinea instead. The HMS Spey withdrew its application to visit, Sogavare said. The delay in these approvals demonstrate the need for the government to review and refine its approval