Key Points

The naval bilateral exercise 'INDRA' began on Friday in India.

This is the 14th edition of the India-Russia bilateral naval exercise 'INDRA', a cornerstone of the enduring maritime partnership between the two countries, taking place at Chennai.

The naval bilateral exercise will conclude on April 2.

According to the Ministry of Defence, since its inception in 2003, Exercise 'INDRA' epitomises the long-term strategic relationship between the two navies.

The bilateral exercise has evolved into a symbol of maritime cooperation, showcasing the two nations' commitment to enhancing naval interoperability and operational synergy.

The exercise is being conducted in two phases -- Harbour phase is being organised from March 28 to 30 at Chennai, and Sea phase will be conducted from March 31 to April 2 in the Bay of Bengal.

The exercise will sea participation of Russian Federation Naval Ships, Pechanga, Rezkiy and Aldar Tsydenzhapov, along with Indian Naval Ships -- Rana, Kuthar and Maritime patrol aircraft P8l.

The Harbour Phase includes opening ceremony, Subject Matter Expert Exchanges, reciprocal visits, sports fixtures, and pre-sail briefings between personnel from both navies.

The Sea Phase will witness advanced naval drills, including tactical manoeuvres, live weapon firings, anti-air operations, underway replenishment, helicopter cross-deck landings and exchange of sea-riders, Ministry of Defence officials said.

The Ministry of Defence said that both the phases of this exercise and interactions are intended at enhancing maritime cooperation, strengthening bridges of friendship, exchanging best operational practices and to bolster diplomatic ties between the two nations.

Indian Navy will also participate in another large scale multilateral maritime engagement exercise in mid-April 2025 with African countries, titled as 'Africa India Key Maritime Engagement aka AIKEYME'. It means 'Unity' in Sanskrit and is an initiative in this direction to enhance interoperability with the navies and maritime agencies.

According to the Indian Navy, the maiden edition of this exercise is being co-hosted by the Indian Navy and Tanzania Peoples' Defence Force and would be conducted at Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, and is planned to inaugurated by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

This exercise is planned over six days and includes participation from eight countries, including Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles and South Africa, in addition to the co-hosts.

- IANS