For the first time Royal Navy flagship HMS Prince of Wales worked alongside India’s aircraft carrier INS Vikrant – curtain-raiser to a high-profile visit to the Commonwealth nation.
The British warship’s F-35 Lightning stealth fighters jousted in the skies of the Indian Ocean with Vikrant’s MiG 29K jets before lining up for a flypast and photoshoot.
The aerial activity was the highlight of the interaction between the two navies, Exercise Konkan, ahead of a visit to Mumbai and Goa by the ships of the UK Carrier Strike Group which begins today.
Konkan is a regular workout involving the two Commonwealth navies going back more than two decades, occasionally held in UK waters when Indian warships visit, more typically off the coast which gives the exercise its name when Royal Navy vessels are deployed to the Indian Ocean.
The two carrier groups worked side-by-side for four days. As well as fast-jet operations, the forces carried out a combined submarine hunt as an Indian Navy boat tried to evade detection – not just by warships and helicopters, such as the Merlin Mk2s embarked on HMS Prince of Wales and frigate HMS Richmond, but also P8 Neptune maritime patrol aircraft.
“Exercise Konkan was a valuable opportunity to operate with our Indian Navy partners. It’s been fantastic to work alongside my Indian opposite numbers to plan this complex exercise,” said Lieutenant Iain Reid, a staff officer aboard HMS Prince of Wales.
The Carrier Strike Group’s Commander Commodore James Blackmore added: “Exercise Konkan showed the increasing strength of our partnership with the Indian Navy.
“Training together not only deepens our cooperation, but also reflects the UK’s enduring commitment to security and stability in the Indo-Pacific.”
His force splits for the visit to India: the carrier will be spending several days in Goa, while the spotlight largely falls on Plymouth-based frigate HMS Richmond – the task group’s shield against hostile submarines – which is visiting Mumbai.
The frigate’s arrival coincided with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s visit to the city to meet his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi to strengthen business and cultural ties between the two nations.