Indian & Royal navies deploy guided missile frigates to check ‘unconventional threats’

Panaji: The Indian Navy and the Royal Navy held their maritime exercise - Konkan 2023 – in the Arabian Sea just off the Maharashtra and Goa coastline. The two navies deployed guided missile frigates for the exercise which focused on maritime operation readiness and unconventional threats.
The exercises covered all domains of maritime operations, air, surface and sub-surface, and included gunnery shoots on surface inflatable target ‘Killer Tomato’, helicopter operations, anti-air and anti-submarine warfare drills, visit board search and seizure (VBSS), ship manoeuvres and exchange of personnel.
“The exercise yielded excellent training value to personnel of both navies. A high level of professionalism and enthusiasm was also evident during its conduct,” said the Indian Navy in a brief statement.
INS Trishul, a guided missile frigate and HMS Lancaster, a Type 23 guided missile frigate were part of the joint exercises and undertook multiple maritime drills to enhance interoperability and pick up best practices. The British warship has been forward-deployed for three years in the Middle East and is based in Bahrain. It has been tasked with escorting merchant ships in the Gulf region. The UK has also deployed two warships - HMS Tamar and HMS Spey – in Singapore which is Britain's first permanent naval presence in the Indo-Pacific region in five decades.
The exercise helped Indian and British naval personnel increase operational readiness, enhanced interoperability and improved the ability to conduct joint operations. The Indian Navy said that this “will go a long way in bolstering the combined efforts of the Indian Navy and Royal Navy” to strengthen maritime security and uphold a rules-based order in the Indian Ocean.
Planning for Konkan 2023 began in December at Mumbai when officers from the two navies worked out operational and administrative aspects related to conduct of exercise. “Bilateral exercises and interaction between Indian Navy and Royal Navy have grown from strength to strength over the years based on evolving geopolitical factors and envisaged threats in region,” the Indian Navy stated.