Navy carries out mega war game in Arabian sea

NEW DELHI: The Indian Navy has carried out a major review of its operational capabilities during a two-month mega war game in the Arabian Sea in which all its frontline warships, submarines and aircraft were deployed.
"This review included both peacetime operations as well as the training and preparations for war," the Navy said in a statement.

The war game was conducted on both the seaboards of India extending from the northern Arabian sea off the coast of Gujarat to the southern Indian ocean off the Sunda Straits near Indonesia.

The Navy said the war game was the first of its kind to be conducted on both seaboards which is indicative of the Navy's threat perceptions of a two-front war.

The exercise on the eastern seaboard was codenamed 'ENCORE (Eastern Naval Command Operational Readiness Exercise) ' , while on the Western seaboard its codename was 'Paschim Lehar'.

"In preparation for conflict, the Navy revamped its operational exercise plans to make them more contemporary and realistic. In a two-year cycle promulgated by Naval headquarters, the Indian Navy has literally 'cut the flab' in the various exercises undertaken at sea," the Navy said.

It said greater focus has been accorded to "conflict readiness" across the spectrum as well as realistic scenarios likely to be faced at sea.

"The focus has been on realistic scenarios likely to manifest in the future including terrorist attacks from sea on critical infrastructure and populated areas, defence of the offshore oil resources of the country and protection of the large seaborne trade of India," it said.