Konkan Shakti exercise: India-U.K. to launch phase of high-level exchanges

• In the exercise, there will be re-entry of UK’s Carrier Strike Group (CSG) into western Indian Ocean waters.
• The CSG, along with HMS Queen Elizabeth, has been on deployment in the Indo-Pacific waters for all summer.
• Military of the UK engaged with their counterparts in Singapore and Bangladesh. They also did a “non-provocative deployment” in South China Sea.
• Deployment of CSG is significant for the UK as it is the biggest deployment after the end of Cold War.

Entrance of CSG into Indian Waters

CSG will enter into Indian waters on October 21 while one of the ships will dock in to the Mumbai port. It will stay at anchorage and some invited guests will be taken on board. The UK’s foreign secretary Elizabeth Truss will be in Mumbai for senior level discussions on a range of topics, including maritime propulsion technology, which the UK is keen to sell to the Indian Navy. The UK has an integrated electrical propulsion technology which it hopes to sell for future ships in the Indian Navy.

About Konkan Shakti

Konkan Shakti is the first tri-service exercise between India and United Kingdom.

Ajeya Warrior

Ajeya Warrior is an Army exercise between both the countries. It is ongoing in Uttarakhand in which about 120 British soldiers are participating.