Mumbai: The United Kingdom's Royal Navy frigate, HMS Richmond, arrived at Mumbai Port for a scheduled visit on Friday following the successful conclusion of Exercise Konkan 2025. The joint naval drills between the Indian Navy and the Royal Navy wrapped up this week, having achieved a historic milestone in the two nations' defence cooperation. HMS Richmond is a key component of the UK's Carrier Strike Group (CSG), whose presence marked a major escalation in the scale of the annual bilateral exercise.
The 2025 edition of Exercise Konkan, which commenced on October 5 off India’s western coast, was unprecedented. It was the first time in history that the British and Indian Carrier Strike Groups conducted a combined maritime exercise. This historic linking of the forces displayed the deepening strategic partnership between the two maritime powers. The UK CSG, spearheaded by the colossal 65,000-tonne aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales (the largest surface vessel ever built in the UK), joined forces with the Indian Navy’s Carrier Strike Group, led by the indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant.
Over four days, the navies engaged in complex maritime and air capabilities exercises, involving a comprehensive array of assets, including surface combatants, submarines and various aircrafts from both sides. The UK’s contingent included the Type 45 Destroyer HMS Dauntless and the Type 23 Frigate HMS Richmond, along with allied ships and support vessels.
The Carrier Strike Groups operated standard F-35B Lightning aircraft, Merlin and Wildcat helicopters, showcasing advanced combined air-sea combat readiness. The Indian representation, centered on the battle group of INS Vikrant, deployed its own robust surface, sub-surface, and air combatants. The participation of assets from allies like Norway and Japan within the UK CSG further added to the international significance of the event.
Exercise Konkan has been a crucial element of bilateral defence cooperation for two decades, conducted biennially since 2004. Its sustained evolution has significantly enhanced interoperability, mutual understanding and the ability to conduct coordinated maritime operations on the high seas.
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