India and UK navies begin eight-day Exercise Konkan in Indian Ocean

INDIA and the United Kingdom have begun an eight-day joint naval exercise, Exercise Konkan, in the Western Indian Ocean as part of efforts to strengthen overall military cooperation.

The UK's Carrier Strike Group (CSG), led by aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, has been deployed for the exercise, which aims to enhance combined maritime and air capabilities between the two navies.

The Indian Navy said the exercise reaffirms the shared commitment to ensuring secure, open and free seas and reflects the “comprehensive strategic partnership” outlined in the India-UK Vision 2035.

“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,” said Lindy Cameron, the British High Commissioner to India.

“The engagements between the Carrier Strike Groups of our two navies demonstrate our commitment to maintaining the rules-based international order in the region and lay the groundwork for future cooperation,” she said.

Commodore Chris Saunders, defence adviser to the British High Commission, said, “Exercise Konkan provides an excellent opportunity for the Royal Navy to train in the delivery of complex multi-domain operations alongside India as partners in the Indo-Pacific region.”

“The UK and India are two carrier operating countries, and the Royal Navy and Indian Navy are in a fairly exclusive club as blue-water, multi-carrier navies,” he said.

Saunders added that the exercise allows the two maritime powers to enhance combined capability and share best practice. “The UK is also proud to co-lead the Maritime Security Pillar of India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative,” he said.