Key Points

Exercise Konkan between India and the United Kingdom is aimed at increasing combined maritime and air capabilities between the navies on the high seas.

While the exercise has been biennial since 2004, it marks the first time in history that a British and Indian Carrier Strike Group will conduct a maritime exercise together, the official statement highlighted.

The UK CSG, which is currently on an eight-month deployment known as Operation Highmast has linked up with the Indian Navy's Carrier Strike Group, led by INS Vikrant to begin 4 days of complex maritime exercises that will also involve submarines and various aircraft from both the forces.

The UK CSG is formed around HMS Prince of Wales, the 65,000 tonnes Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carrier - the largest surface vessel ever constructed in the UK. She is supported by a Type 45 Destroyer HMS Dauntless, a Type 23 Frigate - HMS Richmond, and Royal Fleet Auxiliary Support Ships and ships of allies and partners. The CSG operates F-35B Lightning aircraft, and Merlin and Wildcat helicopters, as standard.

Operation Highmast is a multinational deployment led by the UK Carrier Strike Group which presents the opportunity for UK's Armed Forces to conduct a major global deployment and a chance to exercise complex operations alongside partners in the region, with 12 other nations supporting the deployment with ships or personnel.

After the completion of the exercise, CSG ships will visit ports in Mumbai and Goa to celebrate enhanced military interactions with India and showcase British trade and industry along with highlighting the strong 'living bridge' of people and culture between the UK and India, the statement underlined.

Lindy Cameron, British High Commissioner to India highlighted in her remarks how India and the UK believe in a free and open Indo-Pacific and an ambition for a modern defence and security partnership, which is a fundamental pillar of UK-India Vision 2035, agreed upon by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UK PM Kier Starmer earlier this year.

"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 MBE Royal Navy, Defence Adviser, British High Commission, underscored how Exercise Konkan provides an excellent opportunity for the British 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. This exercise provides another opportunity, a first with both carriers, for two maritime powers to enhance combined capability operating and share best practice. The UK is also proud to co-lead the Maritime Security Pillar of India's Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative."

Commodore James Blackmore who is the Commander, UK Carrier Strike Group, said, "It's fantastic to work again with the Indian Navy during Exercise Konkan to develop our combined operational capabilities. We've been collaborating to expand our defence capability, in support of the rules-based international system in the Indo-Pacific."

On completion of the port visit, the UK CSG will participate in an aerial defence exercise with the Indian Air Force, allowing both the forces to test their tactics and share best practices, the official statement noted.

Exercise Konkan is the biennial, bilateral maritime exercise conducted by the UK and India. The CSG conducted maritime exercise with the Indian Navy in June after entering the Indo-Pacific. This included a Combined Anti-Submarine Exercise (CASEX) involving the UK CSG and Indian Navy's INS TABAR, a P8-I Neptune aircraft and an Indian submarine, the statement added.

Earlier in 2021, India and the UK conducted the first and biggest bilateral tri-service exercise Konkan Shakti, which involved all three forces from both the countries, including the UK's Carrier Strike Group led by HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier.

The official statement emphasized the importance of the Indo-Pacific for the UK as it stands essential for growth, clean energy ambitions and to domestic and global security and noted tat the deployment reflects UK's steadfast commitment towards it.

- ANI