Indo-UK Joint Naval Exercise - Konkan 2008

The third edition of Indo-UK joint Naval Exercise ‘Konkan-2008′ is currently going on in the Arabian Sea. The exercise has commenced on April 21 and is expected to conclude on May 02, 2008. For Royal Navy this is part of UK’s Orion 08 Deployment..


The maritime interdiction exercise, third in a series that started in 2004, will feature frontline warships of the Royal Navy, including the Illustrious Aircraft Carrier and the HMS Trafalgar nuclear submarine.


The 10-day-long exercise, aimed at building confidence and interoperability between the navies, will focus on aerial operations and joint tactical manoeuvers for maritime interdiction. While only Indian and UK warships will participate in the exercise, the American Navy’s USS Cole will observe the manoeuvers.


The exercise also features the ‘Merlin’ anti-submarine warfare helicopters of the Royal Navy, besides the HMS Westminster guided missile destroyer and two support vessels. From the Indian side, frontline warships, including the Mysore and Rajput, will take part in the exercise, besides a Kilo-class diesel submarine.


INS Viraat, is not visible at the exercise as it is out of commission for the next year. The Navy has decided to keep it in service till 2012 when the Gorshkov is scheduled to arrive. In the absence of the carrier, the Navy will operate its Sea Harriers for the joint exercise.

This year’s low-key exercise comes in contrast with the high profile nature of the last edition of the Konkan series in 2006, also off the Goa coast. Besides visits by the Chief of the Royal Navy, a number of senior defence officials and mediapersons were taken aboard HMS Invincible aircraft carrier during the exercise. Read more...

First Indo-German Joint Naval Exercise Successful

Three German Navy Ships were on a goodwill visit to Kochi,India from April 05 to 08. Following that India and Germany three-day Naval exercise was held at the Arabian sea from 8th to 10th April 2008. An Indo-German Defence Cooperation Agreement in this context was signed in 2006..


Over 700 personnel from the German Task Force comprising the Federal German Ship (FGS) Hamburg, which is an air-defence ship, frigate FGS Koeln, and FGS Berlin, which is a replenishment tanker, participated in the exercise from the German side.
The training ships “INS Tir” and “INS Krishna” and two frigates of the Indian Navy took part from India.


Seamanship, replenishment at sea and exchange of ship personnel and flying exercises was held in the sea off Kochi. More advanced manoeuvres like surface and submarine warfare was also held further northwards off the Goa coast, where the Indian frigates from the Western Naval Command joined in.

The guests visited training establishments such as the Anti-Submarine Warfare School and the Navigation and Direction School at the Southern Naval Command here.


German Ambassador Bernd Mutzelburg said: “Germany is looking forward to forge a strategic partnership with India in different sectors. We are willing to transfer high-tech weaponry to the Indian armed forces to help their modernisation drive. India will get top-end technology and it will be a win-win situation for both countries in this partnership of equals. Germany needs to retain her competitive edge by making good use of the economy products manufactured in India. Bilateral trade doubled to 10 billion euros in the past three years. India sees Germany as a high-tech partner.”

The German Task Force:

F220 Hamburg: Missile frigate commissioned in 2004 has complement of 230 and has speed of 29 knots.

F211 Koln: Missile frigate commissione in 1984 has complement of 219 and has speed of 30 knots.

A1411 Berlin: Naval support ship commissioned in 2001 has complement of 139 and has speed of 20 knots. Read more...