Exercise Konkan enhanced interoperability of India, UK navies, says official

Mumbai, Oct 10 (PTI) Exercise Konkan has allowed the navies of India and the UK to enhance interoperability, and it displayed their ability to operate and integrate two blue water carrier navies, Commodore James Blackmore, commander of the UK Carrier Strike Group, said on Friday.

Exercise Konkan, an eight-day mega wargame in the western Indian Ocean, commenced on October 5 and will continue till October 12.

While the sea phase ended on October 8, the UK Navy is scheduled to participate in a one-day exercise with the Indian Air Force off the western coast of India on October 14.

The exercise is being held amid UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer's two-day visit to India, which culminated on Thursday.

The sea phase of the exercise encompassed complex maritime operational drills, focusing on anti-air, anti-surface, and anti-submarine exercises, flying operations and other seamanship evolutions. Both participating nations had deployed frontline assets, including aircraft carriers, destroyers, frigates, submarines, and integral and shore-based air assets.

While the UK had its aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, the Indian Navy deployed its indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant.

"It (Exercise Konkan) really allowed us to further enhance our interoperability and our ability to operate and integrate our two blue water carrier navies," Commodore Blackmore told reporters.

He said the CSG left the UK on April 22 as part of the 'Operation HighMast', which is the UK's deployment to the Indo-Pacific.

Operation HighMast' has key strategic objectives which include declaring full operating capability of its resurgent carrier strike capability, Commodore Blackmore said.

"This is also to display the UK's absolute commitment to a rules-based order and free and open Indo-Pacific. The deployment is also to display the UK's commitment that while it recognises the importance of the Atlantic Ocean, it also absolutely recognises that what goes on in the Indo-Pacific region is absolutely linked to what occurs in the Atlantic," he said. PTI PR ARU