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The Indian Navy and the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom commenced their first-ever joint Carrier Strike Group (CSG) operations as part of Exercise KONKAN-25, which began off the western coast of India on October 5 and continues in the Western Indian Ocean, the Indian Navy said on Friday.
On the sidelines of the visit by the UK Carrier Strike Group, UK Minister of State for Defence Lord Vernon Coaker visited Mumbai and hailed the collaboration as a testament to the strong ties between the two countries. "It is even more remarkable to be here just after the wonderful visit of our Prime Minister to meet with your Prime Minister. The relationship between Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Starmer is excellent and demonstrates the importance of the partnership between the UK and India as respected global partners," Lord Coaker said. State Defence Minister Sanjay Seth also held a bilateral meeting with the UK Minister of State for Defence, Lord Vernon Coaker, during the visit. During the meeting, both sides reviewed the ongoing defence engagements and explored avenues to further deepen cooperation between India and the UK. Sanjay Seth noted with satisfaction that the UK CSG, led by the Prince of Wales, had successfully completed the sea phase of the bilateral maritime exercise KONKAN-25 with the Indian Navy off the western coast. The CSG is currently engaged in harbour-phase activities in Mumbai and Goa, as per a press statement. The ongoing exercise marks a significant milestone in India-UK defence cooperation. For the first time, the Indian Navy's INS Vikrant Carrier Battle Group and the Royal Navy's HMS Prince of Wales Carrier Strike Group are operating together at sea. The joint drills aim to strengthen interoperability and reflect the growing depth of the maritime partnership between the two countries. The UK Carrier Strike Group is currently on an eight-month deployment under Operation Highmast. It has now joined the Indian Navy fleet for four days of advanced maritime exercises, which include coordinated operations involving surface ships, submarines, and naval aircraft from both sides. Commander of the UK Carrier Strike Group, Commodore James Blackmore, expressed pride in leading the deployment. "It's my immense privilege to command the UK Carrier Strike Group during our time in the Indo-Pacific, and most importantly, here in Mumbai. We departed the UK on April 22, 171 days ago, with about 50 days remaining until the completion of Operation Highmast," he said. The UK Carrier Strike Group is built around HMS Prince of Wales, a 65,000-tonne Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier -- the largest surface vessel ever constructed in the United Kingdom. The group comprises HMS Richmond (Type 23 Frigate), HMS Dauntless (Type 45 Destroyer), Royal Fleet Auxiliary support ships, and assets from partner nations, including Norway and Japan. On the Indian side, the exercise is led by INS Vikrant, India's indigenous aircraft carrier, and is supported by destroyers, frigates, submarines, and naval aircraft. Exercise KONKAN, which has been held biennially since 2004, has grown in scale and complexity over the past two decades. The current edition focuses on enhancing combined maritime and air operations, tactical coordination, and mutual understanding between the Indian and Royal Navies. (ANI)
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