Russian and Indian Navies Kicked Off their Joint Maritime Exercise Indra Navy 2018

By TOC On Dec 11, 2018

VISAKHAPATNAM, India, (BulgarianMilitary.com) – On Sunday (9th December), the Indo-Russian maritime exercise Indra Navy 2018 has kicked off in Visakhapatnam, India. This is the 10th year of the bilateral exercise, which aimed at enhancing interoperability and developing common understanding and procedures for maritime security operations, between the Russian and Indian navies, learned BulgarianMilitary.com.

This year’s edition of the drill, which focuses on naval cooperation between the two countries to protect navigation and economic activity at sea, is held in the period between 9th and 16th December and within two phases. It has started on Sunday with the arrival of the Russian Navy’s Order of Nakhimov guards missile cruiser – Varyag, the large anti-submarine ship – Admiral Panteleyev and the large sea tanker – Boris Butoma, in India’s port of Visakhapatnam.

The Harbor Phase of Indra Navy 2018, which takes place in Visakhapatnam from 9th to 12th December, involves joint activities, such as planning conferences, professional interactions, cultural visits, sports fixtures and formal calls between Flag Officers/ Senior Officers.

The spokesman of the Russian Pacific Fleet Capt. 2nd Rank Nikolai Voskresensky, explained that during the harbor phase in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, the Russian and Indian sailors practiced fighting for a ship survival at a coastal simulator complex that was one of the tasks under the earlier approved plan.

This stage of the bilateral training also involved several meetings, where the upcoming steps of forces at sea were discussed, also briefings for boarding teams and marines, as well as tactical and safety meetings.

The second, Sea Phase of Indra Navy 2018 is planned to start on 13th December in the Bay of Bengal near the port of Visakhapatnam, and will last till 16th December. The training at sea will involve operations and tactical procedures, such as Anti Submarine Warfare (ASW), Air Defence drills, Surface Firings, Visit Board Search and Seizure (VBSS).

Along with the Russian Pacific Fleet’s ships, the Indian Navy, in turn, has provided for the joint exercise, the guided missile destroyer, INS Ranvir, the indigenous Shivalik class stealth frigate, INS Satpura, the anti-submarine warfare (ASW) corvette, INS Kadmatt, the missile corvettes, IN Ships Kuthar and Khanjar and the fleet tanker, INS Jyoti. In addition, the Sindhughosh class submarine, Dornier maritime patrol aircraft, Hawk fighter aircraft and other integral rotary wing helicopters, also participate in Indra Navy 2018.

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Source: TASS