Joint Military Exercises: News & Discussion

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Austin
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Re: Joint Military Exercises News & Discussion

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INDRA2017 The Indian National Anthem being played in Far East Vladivostok. # Jai Ho!!!

https://twitter.com/IndEmbMoscow/status ... 9595912192
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SSridhar
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Re: Joint Military Exercises News & Discussion

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In a first, Indian team heads to Israel for combat drill - ToI
India on Tuesday dispatched a C-130J 'Super Hercules' aircraft, along with a 45-member contingent, including Garud commandos, to Israel to take part in the top-notch multilateral 'Blue Flag-17' exercise from November 2 to 16.

This is the first time India has sent a contingent to participate in a military exercise in Israel. The exercise will also include other countries like the US, France, Germany, Italy, Greece and Poland, and comes after PM Narendra Modi visited the Jewish state in July.

"Blue Flag is a biannual multilateral exercise which aims to strengthen military cooperation among the participating nations. The exercise, being held at Uvda Air Force Base, will provide a platform for sharing of knowledge, combat experience and in improving operational capability of the participating nations," an officer said.

"This is the first time the Indian Air Force is operating with the Israeli Air Force in a multilateral exercise setting. Exercise Blue Flag gives us the opportunity to share and learn best practices with some of the best professionals from other air forces," he added.

Israel is among the top three to four arms suppliers to India, notching up sales worth almost $1 billion every year. The arms acquisitions range from Phalcon AWACS (airborne warning and control systems) and Searcher, Heron and Harop UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) to Aerostat and Green Pine radars, Barak anti-missile defence and several types of missiles and laser-guided bombs.
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India, Kazakh armies begin joint exercise in Himachal Pradesh - PTI, Economic Times
Indian and Kazakh armies today began a 14-day joint exercise in Himachal Pradesh to strengthen bilateral relations and exchange skills and experience.

This is second joint military exercise between the two countries. The first edition of "Prabal Dostyk" was held in Kazakhstan in 2016.


"A 14-day joint training exercise 'Prabal Dostyk-2017' between the Indian Army and the Kazakhstan Army commenced today with an opening ceremony at Bakloh in Himachal Pradesh," a defence spokesman said.

The joint exercise is aimed at enhancing the military ties between the two countries and achieving interoperability between the two armies, he said.

"The training contingents comprise a platoon strength from 3rd Battalion of the 11th Gorkha Rifles of the Indian Army and a similar strength of the Kazakhstan Army," the spokesman said.


Senior military observers of both the countries would also witness the validation phase of the joint exercise.

He said the exercise sought to acquaint the forces with each other's operating procedures in the backdrop of counter- insurgency and counter-terrorism operations under the UN's mandate.

"The overall aim is to enhance the existing military relationship between the Indian Army and the Kazakhstan Army and achieve synergy for joint conduct of operations as and when the requirement arises," he added.

Personnel of both contingents were hopeful of a fruitful learning experience and that the training would go a long way in enhancing ties between the people of the two countries.

The Indian troops participating in the joint exercise underwent extensive training in counter-terrorism and low intensity conflict operations at the Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School, Vairengte, he added.
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India, Bangladesh to kick off combat exercise in Mizoram next week - Rajat Pandit, ToI
The Indian and Bangladeshi armies are all set to hold an intensive combat exercise at the Counter-Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School at Vairengte in Mizoram from next week as part of the overall policy to bolster bilateral military ties.

The aim behind "Exercise Sampriti", which will be conducted from November 6 to 18, is to enhance interoperability between the two armies while conducting counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations in a semi-mountainous jungle terrain.

"Sampriti will include a field training exercise at Vairengte, which will include heli-borne operations and neutralization of IEDs, and a command post exercise called Milap at the Umroi cantonment in Meghalaya," said an officer.

Interestingly, the two armies will also hold a joint training capsule on anti-terror operations from November 13 to December 10 at the Danapur Cantonment in Bihar. "The capsule's main aim will to be train junior commanders of the Bangladesh Army in effectively handling such operations," he added.

The Indian armed forces, seeking closer cooperation on the counter-terrorism front, are working towards "building capacity'' of the Bangladesh military, which ranges from training and exercises to military supplies and defence technologies. Bangladesh, of course, is another country in India's neighbourhood where China has made some strategic inroads over the last several years.

India, for instance, provides 90 vacancies for different courses in its military establishments and academies for the Bangladeshi armed forces every year. There is also a tailor-made training programme for 100 Bangladeshi soldiers at the Mechanized Infantry Regimental Centre at Ahmednagar in Maharashtra.

Moreover, the Indian Army, Navy and IAF hold regular staff-level talks with their Bangladeshi counterparts. India, for instance, has been holding direct Army-to-Army staff talks with Bangladesh since 2009 to chalk out the cooperation between the two forces in the years ahead.

The importance of the talks can be gauged from the fact that India has similar staff talks with just a handful of countries, which include US, UK, Israel, France, Japan, Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore.

Similarly, the bilateral naval cooperation has been traditionally strong, encompassing a wide span to include operational interactions through training, port calls, passage exercises along with "capability building and capacity augmentation initiatives". The Bangladeshi Navy is also the present chair of the Indian Ocean Symposium (IONS), which is a multilateral maritime cooperation platform launched by the Indian Navy.
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Re: Joint Military Exercises News & Discussion

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Indian Aircrew Members in Israel
http://m.iaf.org.il/2392-49687-en/IAF.aspx
The visit to Israel was preceded by a delegation of pilots from the “First Jet” Squadron that visited the Indian Air Force in July. “Our pilots performed two sorties in Su-30 aircraft operated by the Indian Air Force”, shared Maj. Tamir. "It’s an advanced aircraft, operated differently to the way we are familiar with. Being exposed to different platforms and systems is important to us. Throughout the aircrew exchange we learned that the definition of an aircrew member's duty in India is different to its definition in our air force. An example of this is that in India, only a quarter of the aircrew members are pilots, while most of the others are WSOs (Weapon System Operator)".
Israeli pilots’ faces blurred out in this officially released picture with Indian crew in Israel for Blue Flag.

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X-posted from 'Neutering China' thread. . .

US Navy carrier drills with Japanese, Indian navy in Sea of Japan - Reuters

This is something out of the blue, at least for me. I wasn't aware of any scheduled exercise. Ex. Malabar for 2017 just finished in July off Chennai Coast.
The US Navy carrier, the USS Ronald Reagan, conducted three days of drills with a Japanese destroyer and two Indian warships in the Sea of Japan, Japan's navy said on Tuesday.

The exercise involving five ships, which ended Monday, came amid heightened tension in the region over North Korea's ballistic missile and nuclear tests+ and as US President Donald Trump began a 12-day tour of Asia beginning in Japan on Sunday.

"The exercise helped improve fighting skills and deepened cooperation with India," Japan's Maritime Self Defence Force said in a press release.


The 100,000-ton Reagan, which is based in Japan carries around 70 combat aircraft and is the US Navy's most powerful warship in Asia.

The Reagan will join two other carriers in the Western Pacific, the USS Nimitz and USS Theodore Roosevelt, in a potent reminder to Pyongyang of the US ability to rapidly mobilize military force, U.S. officials told Reuters earlier.
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Re: Joint Military Exercises News & Discussion

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Wow, thats quite a poke for the Dragon by the IN.
Its almost equivalent to a Chinese wargame with Sri Lanka next to Kerala
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Navy chief Lanba visits Bangladesh for multilateral naval exercise - Business Line
Chief of the Naval Staff Sunil Lanba has embarked on a two-day visit to Bangladesh to participate in an International Multilateral Maritime Search and Rescue Exercise (IMMSAREX) being from November 26 to November 28 under the aegis of Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS).

IONS, an initiative which was started by Indian Navy in 2008, has 23 member countries and nine observer countries. This year the chair of IONS is Bangladesh. As a result, this is its first ever operational exercise called ‘IMMSAREX’, under the IONS Charter.

The exercise will be inaugurated by Prime Minister of Bangladesh on November 27, 2017 in Cox Bazar, Bangladesh.

Indian Naval Ship - Ranvir, Sahyadri, Gharial and Sukanya - along with one Maritime Patrol Aircraft P-8I will be participating in the exercise.

In addition to the conduct of the exercise, an ‘Extraordinary Conclave of Chiefs (ECoC)’ meeting of IONS is also scheduled on November 28, 2017, at Cox Bazar, which would also be attended by the Chiefs of the Navy of all member countries.

The ECoC would deliberate upon activities being undertaken by IONS in-addition to reviewing the progress made by three IONS Working Group (IWG) namely ‘HADR’, ‘Maritime Security’ & ‘Information Exchange and Interoperability’.

Apart from this, the Navy Chief will also be holding widespread consultations to boost bilateral naval ties with Bangladesh even as he will seek to explore new opportunities in naval cooperation.

Lanba will also hold bilateral discussions with Chief of the Naval Staff, Bangladesh Navy on November 27, 2017, and other participating ‘Chiefs of Navy/ Head of Maritime Agencies’.

"Indian Navy regularly interacts with Bangladesh Navy through the medium of ‘Staff Talks’ and other interactions, which include operational interactions including Port Visits, Passage Exercises, Training, Shipbuilding Cooperation besides regular participation by Indian Navy serving and retired officers in Victory Day Celebrations, held in Bangladesh to commemorate ‘Liberation War’ of 1971," stated a press release issued by the Indian Navy.

The CNS during his visit to Bangladesh would also be gifting ‘War Memorabilia’ for ‘Liberation War Museum’ of Bangladesh.
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RSAF gets 'immeasurable value' training with Indian Air Force: Ng Eng Hen
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/sin ... ng-9448722

Singapore Defence Minister's Facebook post (pics in the above link) --> For 45 minutes, I placed my life in the hands of Air Vice Marshal AP Singh as we flew 20,000ft above the Kalaikunda skies in the IAF’s new fighter plane – Tejas. I have never met him before but my RSAF pilots who have trained regularly with IAF pilots say he is among the best, so it was an easy decision. In fact, the plane ride was so smooth despite the G-turns and manoeuvres that I managed to even take some selfies!

Singapore Defence Minister Dr Ng Eng Hen with India's Air Vice-Marshal A P Singh (Photo: MINDEF)
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Dr Ng Eng Hen with Republic of Singapore Air Force servicemen (Photo: MINDEF)
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Dr Ng Eng Hen in front of an F-16 (Photo: MINDEF)
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Blue Flag 2017 and Beyond - S. Samuel C, Rajiv - IDSA
A 45 member Indian Air Force (IAF) contingent took part in the multilateral air exercise ‘Blue Flag 2017’ held at the Uvda Air Base in southern Israel from November 2-16, 2017. This was the first time that an IAF contingent has participated in air exercises with the Israeli Air Force (IsAF). The other participating nations were France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Poland and the United States. While France was also a first time participant, Germany was an observer at these biennial exercises in 2015.

The IsAF touted Blue Flag 2017as the ‘largest international aerial training exercise in Israel’s history’ whose goal was to ‘simulate extreme combat scenarios and coalition flights as realistically as possible’. The Indian participation involved the state-of-the-art Super Hercules C-130J Special Operations transport aircraft and Garud commandos. All the other participating nations took part with fighter aircraft. The Greeks, Poles and Americans brought the F-16 while the French, Italians and Germans brought the Mirage 2000 D, the Tornado and the Eurofighter Typhoon, respectively. The C-130 is a familiar platform to all the participating nations, with a majority of them operating the aircraft (Germany is set to induct the aircraft beginning from 2019).

The absence of fighter aircraft in the Indian contingent could possibly be due to a range of reasons including the need to establish comfort levels before ramping up participation in the next round after two years. Further, the platforms deployed also correspond to the objective of the participation, which, in the present case, was obviously focused on the training of the Garud commandos. In the Indian context, with anti-terrorist operations being a priority for the security forces, the exercise was an important occasion to gain lessons from the Israeli experience. An additional factor could be the issue of over-flight clearance for fighter aircraft from countries in the region that do not have diplomatic relations with Israel.

Blue Flag 2017 adds an important layer to the matrix of bilateral defence cooperation, which has encompassed import of niche technology and equipment, Staff talks, reciprocal visits of chiefs of armed forces, port visits by ships of the Indian Navy, among other interactions. It remains to be seen whether the IAF’s participation in Blue Flag 2017 would lead to future bilateral air exercises on Indian soil. To be sure, both India and Israel participate in bilateral/multi-lateral air exercises with a limited number of countries. India in fact began exercising with other air forces beginning only from 2003, when Garuda I was conducted with France.1 For India (as indeed for most air forces), key operational variables that determine the frequency of such exercises have included finite resources in terms of equipment and budget and focus on internal exercises. Over the past three years, India has conducted bilateral air exercises with France (June 2014), Russia (August-September 2014; first time ever air exercises were conducted with Russia), United Kingdom (July 2015), UAE (June 2016), Singapore (November-December 2016), Oman (January 2017), Thailand (May 2017) and Sri Lanka (July 2017), apart from participating in the multilateral Red Flag exercises in the US in April 2016. The varied combat platforms that took part in these exercises included fighters, aerial refuellers and transport aircraft, based on the objectives of each exercise.

For Israel, the US is obviously its most significant bilateral exercise partner. US-Israel bilateral military exercises also include missile defence, counter-terrorism, urban warfare, and naval exercises in the Mediterranean. European Command (EUCOM) is the lead US combatant command that partners with the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) in a majority of these exercises. The other significant ‘air partners’ for Israel include Italy, Greece and Romania, each of which presents unique opportunities for the IsAF to further hone its skills. The mountainous topography of Romania, for instance, has been touted by the IDF as an important factor for conducting bilateral exercises in that country, specifically as it relates to the training that helicopter crews can gain in search and rescue operations. One of the attractions for Israeli participation in the Red Flag exercises in the US or with the Italian Air Force in Sardinia, apart from the varied nature of the exercises themselves, is the distances involved in getting to the exercise location in the first place and the large air spaces available for training.

For Israel, the Blue Flag exercises are an important effort to enhance its military diplomacy footprint and provide an opportunity for its pilots to train in a multi-lateral setting in their own air space. The IsAF, in fact, began these multi-lateral air exercises ostensibly in response to being denied permission by Turkey to take part in the 2009 Anatolian Eagle air exercises after Israel’s Cast Lead military action in Gaza. Reports, however, note that Israel has since been allowed to resume its participation in these exercises after forging a rapprochement with Turkey.

Israel also takes part in multilateral air combat exercises with countries like Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Israel, Pakistan and four other countries participated in the 2004 edition of Anatolian Eagle held in Turkey. Israel, Pakistan and UAE took part in the US Red Flag exercises in August 2016. Israel, along with the UAE and US, participated in ‘INIOHOS 2017’ held in Greece. While being cognizant of the fact that the choice of countries invited to participate is the prerogative of the host and most of the interaction takes place through host country coordination, it is interesting to note that Israel has taken part in air combat exercises in a multilateral setting with participating countries with which it does not even have bilateral diplomatic relations.

Certain limiting factors, though, could continue to constrain the nature and scope of India-Israel air exercises. India, for instance, has so far not conducted multilateral air exercises in its air space. In case the possibilities of undertaking bilateral exercises are to be explored, the IsAF will have to address the challenge of zeroing in on the optimum route to reach air bases in India, given the distances involved. Further, Israel’s lack of diplomatic recognition in the region stretching from Saudi Arabia to Pakistan complicates the operational dynamics of the deployment of combat platforms. IsAF’s training purposes are met adequately by exercising with countries like Italy or Greece (apart from the US), which operate similar American aircraft like the F-16. Nevertheless, India’s first ever participation in multilateral air exercises on Israeli soil undoubtedly builds on the path-breaking visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Israel in July 2017.
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Re: Joint Military Exercises News & Discussion

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https://twitter.com/livefist/status/939494000058187776 —> Indian & British Army joint Mi-17 ops at Exercise Ajeya Warrior today.
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https://twitter.com/livefist/status/938704790443274240 —> Firing practice by Indian and UK Army troops at Exercise Ajeya Warrior at Mahajan Ranges.
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http://indianexpress.com/article/india/ ... e-4992281/
An Army official said, “After the preparatory training, a large number of troops, along with tanks and other armoured vehicles, duly supported by heavy land and air-based firepower commenced conducting fully integrated operational manoeuvres to validate their operational plans.” Southern Command has its area of responsibility spread over 40 per cent of the land area of the country.

He added, “This effort is unique in scope and scale and is being conducted in battle-like conditions. The key aim is to fine tune surveillance and destruction mechanisms to support precision strikes and manoeuvres by network-enabled forces. There is strong emphasis on joint operations.”

“The exercise would also test sensor-to-shooter grids by employing a vast array of surveillance and air assets, which are networked with land-based strategic and tactical units. Besides large scale conventional warfare, troops will also be rehearsed to operate in the back drop of chemical and nuclear contingencies. It must be highlighted, no important offensives are possible with just one arm of the military. The joint exercises, where two or all three forces join hands, will be conducted more frequently in the future,” said the official.

An official release by the Army stated, “This exercise, which showcases a high degree of synergy between the Army and Air Force, along with new generation aviation assets of the army will be reviewed by a large number of senior officers of both the services to obtain inputs for further refinement of operational procedures. The Southern Command undertakes such exercises at regular intervals to ensure a high degree of battle readiness as well as validation of operational plans using modern weapons and equipment.”
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Indian Navy deploys submarine, P8I aircraft for naval exercise with Oman
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/ne ... 189474.cms

The Indian Navy deployed a submarine and the P8I long-range maritime aircraft for the first time for a bilateral naval exercise with the Omani Navy. The 11th edition of the exercise, 'Naseem Al Bahr' or 'Sea Breeze', was held on December 17 off the coast of Oman. The exercise is a biennial feature since 1993. The Indian Navy also deployed two naval ships - INS Trikand and INS Teg - for the exercise. The Indian ships entered Muscat on December 16 for the harbour phase. "Delegations from the Royal Navy of Oman embarked on the Indian Naval Ship Teg on December 18 for a briefing on basic anti-submarine warfare procedures," the Indian Navy said in a statement yesterday. The Indian Navy ships and four Royal Navy of Oman ships - Al Rasikh, Khassab, Al Mubashir and Al Bushra - sailed for the sea phase of the exercise, in which an Indian Navy submarine and the versatile P8I long-range maritime aircraft participated for the first time, according to the statement. India has an ancient maritime tradition and maritime interaction with Oman dating back to more than 4,000 years. Bilateral relations between Indian and Oman were formally established with the signing of the 1953 Indo-Oman Treaty of Friendship, Navigation and Commerce, a first between India and an Arab country. Since then, naval exercises have contributed to strengthening bilateral ties between India and Oman.
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Link below has pictures of the exercise....

Indian Navy Conducts Exercise Naseem-Al-Bahr With Oman Navy
https://defenceaviationpost.com/indian- ... oman-navy/
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Rakesh wrote:Link below has pictures of the exercise....

Indian Navy Conducts Exercise Naseem-Al-Bahr With Oman Navy
https://defenceaviationpost.com/indian- ... oman-navy/
Ah, explains how i saw the P8I where i did!
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Japanese Coast Guard ship 'Tsugaru' at Chennai port - The Hindu
Japanese Coast Guard ship Tsugaru, a patrol vessel with helicopter, arrived at the Chennai port on Friday ahead of a joint Search and Rescue exercise with India’s Coast Guard.

In an interview on board Tsugaru after its arrival here, Japan Coast Guard Superintendent Yuji Yamamoto, Commanding Officer, said that the joint exercise would help increase mutual understanding between the two countries.

“Since the year 2000, we have been taking a lot of anti-piracy measures in Southeast Asia and India. Collaborating with the Indian Coast Guard, we look forward to mutual understanding of each other’s capabilities, and increasing the confidence level between the two countries,” Superintendent Yamamoto said.

He said this was the eighth visit of a Japanese Coast guard ship to India, and the fifth time the exercise is being held in Chennai.


“During the exercise, helicopters of the Japan and Indian Coast Guard will perform cross-landing operations where the Japanese helicopters will land on the Indian vessels and Indian helicopters will land on Tsugaro,” Mr. Yamamoto said.

Mr. Yamamoto said it was important for all countries in Southeast Asia to join hands to fight piracy. “That includes China as well. At the government level, China and Japan are going in for agreements for joint exercises for mutual understanding,” he said.
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https://www.indiannavy.nic.in/content/a ... milan-2018

Indian Navy, Andaman & Nicobar Command to Host Milan 2018
MILAN 2018 is being held at Port Blair from 06 March to 13 March 2018

An International City Parade will be held along the Marina Park Road, with marching contingents from all participating foreign naval ships as well as the Indian Armed Forces. The parade will include a flypast and aerobatic display by military aircraft and demonstrations of various military operations. Besides, visiting foreign ships will also be open for visits by school children and local public. MILAN 2018 will culminate with Passage Exercise at sea by all participating naval ships.

..............If only our MOD/doordarshan could relay the program??
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Maldives Declines India's Invite For 16-Nation Mega Naval Exercise --ndtv
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Maldives has refused to participate in the multi-nation naval exercises scheduled by India
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Curtain Raiser for Multilateral air Exercise (MAE) from 12-16 Mar 18 at HQ SAC

A Multilateral Air Force exercise, ‘Ex Samvedna’, is being spearheaded by Indian Air Force and conducted by Southern Air Command (SAC) from 12-17 Mar 18. ‘Samvedna’ means ‘Empathy’ and will ensure better understanding and sharing of response procedures between a number of friendly neighbouring nations.



It is the first composite HADR Air exercise in the South Asian region and would be focused on practicing Air Force centric HADR solutions in a Multi-national cooperative Disaster Management environment. Air Forces of Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, UAE and Myanmar have already committed resources and personnel for the exercise. Few other Air Forces from the region are also expected to join in.



The first day of exercise would be dedicated towards pre-exercise ground training with an aim of getting all participants on a common platform. The Table Top Exercise (13-14 Mar 18) would be aimed at setting up a scenario of pre and post Tsunami disaster requirements and guide participants to work out Air Force Centric HADR solutions. Flying cum Field Training Exercise (15-16 Mar 18) will be conducted from the dispersal area of Air Force Station Trivandrum to practice the flying/ field activities undertaken by Air Forces towards HADR under controlled conditions.



This exercise would help in putting in place a basic framework for conduct of Joint Air HADR operations, which will be further refined during subsequent exercises. This exercise is expected to lead to more coordinated and efficient HADR Air operations in the entire South Asian region when the need arises.

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Ministry of Defence
Indian Navy to host Bilateral Exercise 'Varuna' with French Navy
Posted On: 19 MAR 2018 5:03PM by PIB Delhi
The Indian Navy and the French Navy have conducted bilateral maritime exercises since May 1993. Since 2001, the exercises have been named VARUNA and there have been fifteen editions of the same till date. The last edition of VARUNA was conducted off the French Coast in Apr 2017.

The conduct of VARUNA, and the special impetus on taking this Navy-to-Navy cooperative engagement forward, was reiterated in the Joint Statement made by the Prime Minister of India and the President of France, on the 10th of March 2018.

In 2017, VARUNA was conducted in three sea areas in the European waters. This year too VARUNA-18 would be conducted in three sea areas, namely, the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal and South Western Indian Ocean. The first phase, being conducted in the Arabian Sea, will see participation of a French submarine and frigate Jean de Vienne from the French side. The Indian Naval participation will include the destroyer Mumbai, frigate Trikand with their integral helicopters, IN submarine Kalvari, P8-I and Dornier Maritime Patrol Aircraft, as well as the Mig 29K fighter aircraft.

The VARUNA series of exercises have grown in scope and complexity over the years and provide an opportunity to both Navies to increase interoperability and learn from each other’s best practices.





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U.S., India hold naval training - The Hindu
Indian Navy’s Talwar class frigate INS Tarkash carried out a “greeting and training” exercise on Sunday with the U.S. Navy’s Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group (TRCSG) which was until now involved in operations against the Islamic State in the Arabian Gulf.

INS Tarkash sailed in formation with aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt , guided-missile destroyer USS Preble (DDG 88) and other ships on March 25 as part of the exercise, the U.S. Embassy said here in a statement.

During the exercise, personnel from both sides “practised working together and strengthened their crews’ ship handling,” the embassy said. “Exercises included drills in communications and navigating in several close formations,” it said.

“This exercise offered a unique opportunity to further our capabilities to operate with and learn from one another,” Commander Allen Maxwell Jr., Commanding Officer of USS Preble , which is part of the TRCGS, was quoted as saying.

Ten Indian sailors toured spaces aboard Preble such as a combat information centre, a central control station and the bridge, while 10 Preble sailors visited Tarkash , the statement said.

USS Preble is currently deployed to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations with the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt , the flagship of Carrier Strike Group 9, along with the guided-missile cruiser USS Bunker Hill , and guided-missile destroyers USS Halsey , USS Higgins and USS Sampson .

The TRCSG will now be in the U.S. 7th Fleet area responsible for counter-piracy, freedom of navigation operations and training.
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India-Korea Coast Guard to hold joint exercise on April 5 - T.K.Rohit, The Hindu
The Indian Coast Guard and Korea Coast Guard will hold a joint exercise off Chennai on April 5. Korean Coast Guard ship Badaro 3011 commanded by Superintendent Oh Taeog will arrive at the Chennai Port on Monday morning ahead of the exercise.

The joint exercise, named Sahyog - Hyeoblyeog 2018 is part of a proposed establishment of a MoU between two Coast Guards to improve maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region.

The MoU, which is currently in the draft stage, will be deliberated by the two sides over the course of the next three days and a final agreement will be signed on board one of the Coast Guard ships after the completion of the joint exercise on April 5, Coast Guard Commander, Eastern Region, Inspector General Rajan Bagrotra told The Hindu.

Following the arrival of the Korean Coast Guard ship, the two sides will have a number of interactions, while Badaro’s crew will visit the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre and the Coast Guard Air Station here. “There will also be cross presentations, and we will be providing them our perception of the Indian Ocean region. Our staff will also visit their ship,” Mr. Bagrotra said.

The joint exercise is one in a series of exercises being undertaken by the Indian Coast Guard with a number of countries. In 2016, a Korean ship came to India while in 2017, an Indian Coast Guard ship visited South Korea, to take part in joint exercises. The exercise to be held on April 5, will see Indian Coast Guard ship Shaurya, and a few interceptor boats taking part.

Cross landing operations


The two sides will also try to have cross landing operations on board the ships mid-sea. The exercise will focus on joint planning, training, and executing a series of well-developed anti-piracy scenarios and rescue operations. The Director General of Indian Coast Guard Rajendra Singh, and Commissioner General KCG Park Kyung Min of Korea will also be in Chennai to oversee the exercise.
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With an eye on China, India to hold naval exercise with Vietnam - Rajat Pandit, ToI
India will hold its first naval exercise with Vietnam next week, as part of the overall strategy to steadily build military ties with nations in the Asia Pacific region with an eye firmly on a confrontationist and expansionist China, even as defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman is slated to visit Hanoi next month.

Three Indian warships on operational deployment to South East Asia and North West Pacific region, stealth frigate INS Sahyadri, missile corvette INS Kamorta and fleet tanker INS Shakti, will enter the Tien Sa Port (Danang) on Monday.

“From May 21 to 25, there will be a professional interaction between personnel of the two navies, official calls and interaction with dignitaries of the Vietnamese Government. On completion of the harbour phase, warships from the two navies would be undertaking the exercise,” said Navy spokesperson Captain D K Sharma.
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Trilateral war games to kick off next week - Dinakar Peri, The Hindu
India, Japan and the U.S. will hold the annual Malabar trilateral naval war games off the coast of Guam in the Philippine Sea from June 6-15. The exercise comes at a time of increased friction between China and the U.S. along with the nations bordering South China Sea as Beijing militarises reclaimed islands.

Incidentally the U.S. has just renamed its Pacific command as Indo-Pacific command to underscore its commitment to the region in line with its Indo-Pacific strategy.

“Training will focus on high-end war fighting skillsets, subject matter expert and professional exchanges, combined carrier strike group operations, maritime patrol and reconnaissance operations, surface and anti-submarine warfare, medical operations, damage control, helicopter operations and visit, board, search and seizure operations,” the U.S. Navy said in a statement on Thursday.

Indian Navy is sending indigenous stealth frigate INS Sahyadri, anti-submarine corvette INS Kamorta, fleet tanker INS Shakti and P-8I long-range maritime patrol aircraft.

However, India’s sole aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, which has participated in Malabar earlier, will miss action this year as it is currently undergoing scheduled refit.

Japan is deploying its helicopter carrier JDS Ise along with Soryu class conventional submarines and Kawasaki P-1 aircraft maritime patrol aircraft.

The U.S. is sending its aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan along with strike complement of destroyers, support ships and nuclear attack submarines in addition to P-8A maritime patrol aircraft.
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India to soon start tri-lateral exercise with Singapore: PM Modi
SINGAPORE: India will soon start a new tri-lateral exercise with Singapore with which New Delhi has the longest uninterrupted naval drills, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced here today.
He, however, did not name the third participant.

"India's armed forces, especially our Navy, are building partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region for peace and security, as well as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief," Modi said while delivering a keynote address at the Shangri-La Dialogue here.

The forces train, exercise and conduct goodwill missions across the region, he said.

"With Singapore, we have the longest uninterrupted naval exercise, which is in its 25th year now. We will start a new tri-lateral exercise with Singapore soon and we hope to extend it to other ASEAN countries," Modi said.

India and Singapore have signed implementation agreement between their navies concerning mutual coordination, logistics and services support for naval ships', submarines and naval aircraft (including ship borne aviation assets) visits.

India conducts Malabar Exercise with the US and Japan, Modi said, adding that a number of regional partners join in India's Exercise 'Milan' in the Indian Ocean, and participate in Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) military exercise in the Pacific.

As many as 26 countries including India would participate in the biennial RIMPAC military exercise from June 27 to August 2, in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California.

Known as the world's largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC this year involves 47 surface ships, five submarines, 18 national land forces, and more than 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel.

Ahead of the announcement, the United States had disinvited China from RIMPAC, a move Beijing described as "unfortunate".
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India to send Sukhois and C-17 aircraft for multi-lateral 'Pitch Black' exercise in Australia - Rajat Pandit, ToI
India may have rebuffed Australia’s proposal to join the annual trilateral Malabar naval wargames it holds with the US and Japan but will be dispatching four Sukhoi-30MKI fighter jets and a C-17 Globemaster-III strategic airlift aircraft to the country to participate in the multi-lateral “Pitch Black” air combat exercise.

This will be India’s first participation in the Black Pitch exercise hosted by Australia once every two years, which usually includes the US, Canada, France, Germany, Indonesia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore and Thailand, among other countries.

The exercise, which will witness participation by over 100 aircraft, will be held at the Royal Australian Air Force bases at Tindal and Darwin from July 27 to August 17 this year. It will be IAF’s third multi-lateral exercise in the last three years, after the Red Flag exercise in the US in April-May 2016 and the Blue Flag wargames at Israel in November 2017.

“With a range of realistic threats that can be found in modern day air warfare, Pitch Black is the biggest air combat exercise in the southern hemisphere. Australia had first invited the IAF for the exercise in 2016 but it did not work out. This time, it’s all systems go,” said an official.

India and Australia, with their expanding strategic ties, already hold a joint naval exercise called AUSINDEX, the first edition of which was held off Visakhapatnam in 2015 and the second off Freemantle in 2017.

Officials said the two countries agree on the importance of maintaining maritime freedom of navigation in international waters, right of passage and overflight, unimpeded commerce and access to resources in accordance with the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, in the backdrop of China’s aggressive moves in the South China Sea and the Indo-Pacific region in general.

But India, for now, has opposed the inclusion of Australia in the tri-lateral Malabar exercise.

As earlier reported by TOI, warships, submarines and aircraft from India, the US and Japan are now all set to kick off another edition of the top-notch Malabar exercise off Guam in the Western Pacific from June 6 to 15.
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War games to hone anti-submarine skills - Dinakar Peri, The Hindu
The Navies of India, Japan and the U.S. will enhance their anti-submarine warfare skills in this year’s Malabar naval war games to be held off the coast of Guam from June 7 to 16.

For the first time in a Malabar exercise, all three Navies are deploying their maritime reconnaissance (MR) aircraft to sharpen those skills.

“Each side has aircraft which can lay sono buoys and we will also monitor each other’s sono buoys. We will cross-attach people from all three countries,” the Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice-Admiral G. Ashok Kumar, said.

While the Indian Navy is deploying a P-8I long-range MR aircraft, the U.S. is deploying two P-8A aircraft and Japan is sending a Kawasaki P-1 MR aircraft. In addition, Japan and the U.S. have anti-submarine warfare helicopters on board their helicopter carrier JS Ise and aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan , respectively.

The U.S. has one nuclear attack submarine, USS Pasadena , and Japan for the first time is deploying a Soryu class conventional submarine.

However, the Indian Navy does not have any anti-submarine warfare helicopter in the exercise. Indian effort would be limited to P-8I and the sonars on ships.
The Navy’s anti-submarine warfare helicopter fleet is dependent on the ageing Sea Kings and is in urgent need of new helicopters.“The exercise contributes towards increasing the level of mutual understanding, interoperability and sharing of the best practices between the three navies,” the Navy said.
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Season of Naval exercises: Guam, RIMPAC, trilateral - Manu Pubby, Economic Times
Indian warships are steaming their way to Guam in the Pacific Ocean for the Malabar naval exercise with Japan and the US. Officers involved in the planning said that it will be the most complex of the series of war games that began 26 years ago.

Anti-submarine operations will be the focus of this year’s edition of Malabar — which is being conducted the furthermost from India since inception — with three Indian warships as well as the P-8I maritime aircraft taking part.

India will soon have another trilateral exercise closer home as well, with a decision taken to conduct joint, regular naval war games with Thailand and Singapore. A decision to conduct this new trilateral was taken during PM Modi’s recent visit to the region, but dates for the first edition are still to be finalised.

Malabar officers said that this year several new, complex features have been added, including joint air operations to track hostile submarines at sea. The exercise will see a US nuclear submarine and a Japanese nuclear submarine taking part as well. The Chinese Navy is expected to keep a keen watch over the exercise.

“The Navy will be represented by two indigenously designed and built ships — the multi-purpose stealth frigate INS Sahyadri and anti-submarine warfare corvette, INS Kamorta, Fleet Tanker INS Shakti and Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft P-8I,” the Navy spokesperson said.

The US which has recently renamed its Hawaii-based deployment in the region as the Indo-Pacific Command — reflecting a growing role for India — will deploy the Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier as well as Los Angeles class nuclear attack submarine. The Japanese self-defence forces will be represented by their largest warship, the JDS Ise helicopter carrier, as well as Soryu class submarine.

Post the Malabar exercise, which will get over by June 16, the INS Sayadri will sail further east to take part in the world’s largest military exercise — RIMPAC off the Hawaii islands.
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So the unnamed third participant from the PM's speech is Thailand. They have been generally quiet when it came to Chinese interests, so much that they were perceived to tilt toward China. It also made some sense since they were least impacted by Chinese aggression in the ICS, given they had their own gulf of Thailand, and China was looking to build that canal cutting across the isthmus of Kra, which would possibly help stabilize Thailand's restive southern region.

What changed now for them to hedge their bets?
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manu pubby has gifted a nuke sub to the JMSDF.
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X-post from China thread

Quad will sail together across Pacific in largest military drill - Manu Pubby, Economic Times
GUAM: Australia may have been missing from this year’s edition of the Malabar naval exercise but it will join India, Japan and the US in a ‘group sail’ to the world’s largest wargames later this month.

Warships of the four nations will traverse the Pacific for over a week to arrive for the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise at Hawaii. While warships of the four nations–being increasingly termed as the Quadrilateral in the Indo Pacific – will sail together, China has been disinvited from this year’s edition of RIMPAC.

Australia, which had taken part in the Malabar series of exercises in 2007 — invoking a strong reaction from Beijing about a possible military containment arrangement—has been keen to come back to the wargames. India, however, is being cautious given the attempts to normalise relations with China following the tense standoff at Dokalam last year.

The quadrilateral sail for RIMPAC will consist of the INS Sahyadri, the Japanese helicopter destroyer Ize, US pacific fleet vessels, besides the Australian component. While no exercises are planned on the way, a joint sail helps in familiarisation of naval drills.

“One of our ships, INS Sahyadri will continue from Malabar to participate at RIMPAC. A group sail is planned from June 17 onwards and they will get together and sail for Hawaii. Our two remaining ships will go back to Vizag,” Rear Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, the Eastern Fleet Commander who is leading the Indian delegation to Malabar, told ET.
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https://twitter.com/livefist/status/1006098508225671169 ---> Just in: Anti-submarine warfare joint ops have begun at Malabar 2018 with mixed groups and flight profiles across two P-8s & a P-1 hunting a Los Angeles-class and Soryu-class. Images from Andersen AFB, Guam.

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https://twitter.com/livefist/status/1005032266181951488 ---> The 3 submarine-hunter aircraft at Malabar 2018 and their commanders.
1. US Navy P-8A
2. Indian Navy P-8I
3. JMSDF P-1

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https://twitter.com/indiandefence11/sta ... 1562502144 ---> Something which you don't get to see everytime. Russian Army Tankers manning Indian Army T-72M1 Combat Improved Ajeyas during INDRA-2013 Bilateral Military Exercise.

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India, Bangladesh navies to join hands - The Hindu
India and Bangladesh have agreed to institute a Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT) as an annual feature between the two navies. The first edition will be inaugurated by Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba during his visit there from June 24 to 29.

“The commencement of CORPAT is major step towards enhanced operational interaction between both navies. Naval cooperation between India and Bangladesh has been traditionally strong, encompassing a wide span which includes operational interactions through port calls, passage exercises along with capacity building, capability enhancement and training initiatives,” the Navy said in a statement.

The Navy said the aim of Adm. Lanba’s visit is to “consolidate bilateral defence relations between India and Bangladesh and to explore new avenues for naval cooperation.”

During his visit, Adm. Lanba will call on Bangladesh President Md Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and also interact with the three service Chiefs of Bangladesh armed forces.

Widening cooperation

Over the last few years, the Navy has expanded its assistance to countries in the region through “material support, training, EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone) surveillance, provisioning of platforms, hydrographic assistance, joint exercises and offering slots in professional training courses.”

The Navy regularly conducts CORPATs with Indonesia, Myanmar and Thailand. It also conducts EEZ surveillance of Maldives, Mauritius and Seychelles on their request.
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IAF sends Su-30s for exercise Pitch Black - The Hindu
An Indian Air Force contingent of Su-30MKI fighter jets on Thursday departed for the multi-national exercise, Pitch Black, in Australia, scheduled from July 24 to August 18. This is the first time India is sending fighter aircraft for the biennial exercises hosted by the Royal Australian Air Force.
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Indian team reaches Moscow for International Army Games - The Hindu
An Indian Army team has reached Moscow to participate in the International Army games scheduled from July 28 to August 11. The Army games are organised annually by Russia and this year 28 competitions will be held in seven countries. India is participating in two competitions including the Tank Biathlon and Elbrus Ring, an Army source said.
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In a first, India & Pakistan will be in wargames in China and Russia, troops leave next week

New Delhi will send multiple contingents of its army for the wargames that will be held between 28 July and 11 August.
New Delhi: India will be participating in wargames alongside Pakistan and China to be hosted jointly by Russia, China and five other countries beginning next week.

The International Army Games will be held between 28 July and 11 August across seven countries – China, Russia, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Armenia and Iran.

China’s invitation to India, and India’s acceptance of it, is a definite sign of a thaw in New Delhi’s relationship with Beijing since Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping met for an “informal” summit at Wuhan in April.

New Delhi will send multiple contingents of its army for the wargames that involve a simulated amphibious assault. This exercise will be held in China.

The Indian contingents will not be carrying any equipment; they will use weapons and platforms provided by the Russians and Chinese.

Hosted by Russia, the ‘games’ are actually a competition among mostly former Warsaw Pact countries from the period of the ‘Cold War’. India was not a Warsaw Pact signatory, as opposed to NATO. India’s official position then as now is “non-aligned”.

A defence ministry source told The Print that China has granted India “observer” status for three drills – a competition among Infantry Fighting Vehicles (BMPs), sea-borne assault and mine-clearance tactics. The Indian Army will participate in two wargames in Russia, one of which is a “tank biathlon”.

These games come ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation military exercise to be held in Russia.

India’s participation in the International Army Games and the invitation from both Russia and China have a signature effect on foreign policy. China’s defence minister Wei Fenghe recently said Russia and China have “forged a strategic partnership against a unipolar world dominated by the US”.

Indian contingents will be involved in mountain warfare combat patrols and a competition among snipers in Russia. The China games will involve an Indian infantry battalion designated for amphibious assault.

India has participated in the International Army Games earlier when it was hosted exclusively in the Russian Federation. This time China has joined Russia in hosting the games.

The Indian Navy is currently in a series of exercises in the largest wargames of the world called RIMPAC (an acronym for Rim of the Pacific) being hosted by the US based out of Hawaii.
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