India and the United Kingdom (UK) participated in a two-day joint maritime exercise in the Bay of Bengal on Wednesday to enhance interoperability and cooperation between their naval forces.
A total of ten ships, two submarines, 20 aircraft, and 4,000 personnel attended the bilateral exercise, which saw several “air, sea, and sub-surface maritime evolutions” along with “close-quarter manoeuvring.” The British Royal Navy’s Carrier Strike Group (CSG)-21, comprising the Type 23 Frigates and an Astute-class submarine, and several surface combatants participated in the drills. On the other hand, the Indian side was represented by Satpura, Ranvir, Jyoti, Kavaratti, Kulish, and a submarine. In addition, Anti-Submarine Warfare capable Long Range Maritime Reconnaissance Aircraft P8I also participated in the exercise.
In a statement, the Indian Ministry of Defence said, “With the presence of the CSG-21 in the Indian Ocean, the ongoing exercise has afforded excellent opportunity to engage over the entire spectrum of maritime operations including ASW, Anti-Air and Anti-Surface warfare.” The Ministry celebrated the exercise, one of many, as it bolstered “professional content, interoperability and adaptability” between the Indian Navy and the Royal Navy. The statement added that this ensured a “quantum jump in the complexity and scale of professional exchanges” in the Indian Ocean.
Likewise, the British government’s press release said that the exercise aimed to provide “tangible security to our friends and a credible deterrence to those who seek to undermine global security.” Before the naval exercise, several members of the British Royal Navy spoke of greater cooperation with the Indian Navy in the coming months. Admiral Sir Tony Radakin said that Wednesday’s exercise is “first of multiple UK-India exercises and events.” “The deployment is proof of the strength, energy and significance of the growing relationship between our navies,” he added. Moreover, the Chief of Joint Operations, Vice Admiral Sir Ben Key, said that the countries were key defence parties, and that the deployment was indicative of the UK’s commitment to “India, the Indo-Pacific, and confronting threats to international order.”
The drills are an indication of the UK’s growing presence in the Indo-Pacific, which is primarily focused on countering Chinese aggression in the region. In April, British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab announced a “strategic shift” in the UK’s policy that realigns the British budget with its diplomatic goals and overall aim to tackle global challenges. Raab said the UK’s aid would instead be spent on asserting “maximum influence as a force for good in Africa and strategically tilt towards the Indo-Pacific.” To achieve this, partnering with India, a key regional player and a counterweight to China, is critical.
India, UK Conduct Naval Exercise in Bay of Bengal
India and the UK participated in a two-day maritime exercise in the Bay of Bengal to increase interoperability and cooperation between their naval forces.
July 23, 2021
SOURCE: ROYAL NAVY