Exercise Konkan: Strengthening Maritime Partnerships Between India and UK
Exercise Konkan is an eight-day wargame in the western Indian Ocean featuring the navies of India and the UK. The exercise enhances maritime interoperability and features complex operational drills. Key assets involved include aircraft carriers, destroyers, and submarines from both countries.
- Country:
- India
The ongoing Exercise Konkan has fostered strengthened naval collaboration between India and the UK, showcasing their capability to operate two blue water carrier navies together, according to Commodore James Blackmore, commander of the UK Carrier Strike Group.
Beginning on October 5, the eight-day wargame in the western Indian Ocean is scheduled to end on October 12. It included rigorous operational drills like anti-air, anti-surface, and anti-submarine exercises, with the UK deploying HMS Prince of Wales and India deploying INS Vikrant as flagship carriers.
The exercise coincides with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer's visit to India and includes a phase with the Indian Air Force on October 14. Commodore Blackmore remarked that the joint exercise underscores the UK's commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific as part of 'Operation HighMast,' aimed at integrating naval capabilities to maintain global maritime peace.
(With inputs from agencies.)
Google News