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Senior officials from the Indian Armed Forces, including Lt Gen Johnson P Mathew, Lt Gen NS Raja Subramani, VAdm K Swaminathan, Air Marshal SP Dharkar, and Lt Gen Ajay Kumar, embarked on INS Vikrant earlier on Thursday off the West Coast to witness the Joint Phase of TROPEX 25.
The visit aimed to provide these senior officers with insights into the hierarchical structure and coordination of maritime operations. As part of the exercise, the Vice Chief of Air Staff (VCAS), Air Marshal Dharkar, also embarked on the Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) INS Vikrant in a MiG-29K trainer, further highlighting the jointmanship spirit between the Indian Navy, Army, and Air Force. This overnight sea sortie was an integral part of the ongoing TROPEX and AMPHEX exercises, focusing on joint operational activities across all services. In the past editions, TROPEX 23, a large-scale operational exercise by the Indian Navy, spanned across the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). The exercise is designed to integrate multiple branches of the Indian Armed Forces, including the Navy, Army, Air Force, and Coast Guard, to assess and improve operational readiness and coordination. The exercise involves over 70 Indian Navy ships, including six submarines, and more than 75 aircraft, operating in diverse conditions across an extensive theatre of operations, extending from the Persian Gulf to the northern coast of Australia. The Indian Navy has conducted similar exercises in the past, with TROPEX 2023 serving as a significant operational milestone. It culminated in the Arabian Sea in March 2023, marking an intense phase that included coastal defence operations (Sea Vigil) and amphibious exercises (AMPHEX). The culmination of these exercises in the past was attended by the Defence Minister, who praised the Indian Navy's combat readiness and operational capabilities, highlighting the strategic importance of such exercises for national security. (ANI)
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