The UK's Carrier Strike Group (CSG), led by HMS Prince of Wales aircraft carrier commenced Exercise Konkan with the Indian Navy in the Western Indian Ocean.
On 6 October 2025, the offices of British Deputy High Commission Mumbai and British High Commission New Delhi published a report stating:
“Today [5 October], the United Kingdom’s Carrier Strike Group (CSG), led by HMS Prince of Wales aircraft carrier commenced Exercise Konkan with the Indian Navy in the Western Indian Ocean.”
Exercise KONKAN-25 is a bilateral naval exercise between the Indian Navy and Royal Navy of UK. The exercise was conducted in two phases – the harbour phase and the sea phase. The harbour phase of the exercise will comprise of interactions between naval personnel, cross deck visits, sports fixtures, and cultural engagements etc. The sea phase consists of maritime operational drills focusing on anti-air, anti-surface, and anti-submarine exercises, flying operations and other seamanship evolutions. Both countries will deploy frontline assets, including aircraft carriers, destroyers, frigates, submarines, and integral and shore-based air assets.
The Indian side is being represented by the carrier battle group of the indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant in company with other surface, sub-surface and air combatants.
This exercise, which is being conducted from 5 October 2025 to 12 October 2025 between the two navies, confirms the shared commitment by both UK and India to secure, open and free seas as outlined in Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in ‘India-UK Vision 2035’.
The drill was first held in 2004. Exercise Konkan has been a biennial engagement. However this year is the first-ever exercise with the CSG of both nations – the U.K.’s HMS Prince of Wales and India’s INS Vikrant.
The U.K.’s HMS Prince of Wales is on an eight-month global deployment at the moment under the Operation Highmast. It has connected with the Indian Navy’s carrier task force for complex multi-domain operations, including anti-submarine warfare, cross-deck flying operations, and air defence drills.
After the completion of the drills, CSG ships will visit ports in Mumbai and Goa to commemorate enhanced military interactions with India.
Lindy Cameron, British High Commissioner to India, said:
“The UK and India believe in an Indo-Pacific that is free and open. We share an ambition for a modern defence and security partnership, a fundamental pillar of UK-India Vision 2035, agreed by our Prime Ministers this year. The engagements between the Carrier Strike Groups of our two navies demonstrate our commitment to maintaining the rules-based international order in the region and lay the groundwork for future cooperation”.
Commodore Chris Saunders MBE Royal Navy, Defence Adviser, British High Commission, said:
“Exercise Konkan provides an excellent opportunity for the Royal Navy to train in the delivery of complex multi-domain operations alongside India as partners in the Indo-Pacific region.”
Both nations are two carrier operating countries and that makes both the Royal Navy and Indian Navy exclusive for being multi-carrier navies.
Commodore James Blackmore, Commander, UK Carrier Strike Group, said:
“It’s fantastic to work again with the Indian Navy during Exercise Konkan to develop our combined operational capabilities. We’ve been collaborating to expand our defence capability, in support of the rules-based international system in the Indo-Pacific. On completion of the port visit, the UK CSG will participate in an aerial defence exercise with the Indian Air Force, allowing both the forces to test their tactics and share best practices”.
Operation Highmast is a multinational deployment led by the UK Carrier Strike Group providing an opportunity for the UK’s Armed Forces to conduct a major global deployment and a chance to exercise complex operations alongside partners and allies in the region, with 12 other nations supporting the deployment with ships or personnel.
The UK CSG is centered around HMS Prince of Wales, the 65,000 tonnes Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carrier. It is the largest surface vessel ever built in the UK. She is supported by a Type 45 Destroyer HMS Dauntless, a Type 23 Frigate – HMS Richmond, and Royal Fleet Auxiliary Support Ships and ships of allies and partners. The CSG operates F-35B Lightning aircraft, and Merlin and Wildcat helicopters, as standard.
The CSG conducted maritime exercise with the Indian Navy in June after entering the Indo-Pacific. This included a Combined Anti-Submarine Exercise (CASEX) involving the UK CSG and Indian Navy’s INS TABAR, a P8-I Neptune aircraft and an Indian submarine.
In 2021, the UK and India conducted the first and biggest bilateral tri-service exercise Konkan Shakti, involving all three forces from both the countries, including the UK’s Carrier Strike Group led by HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier.
Key Reasons for its Importance
- Help bolster Strategic Partnership: Exercise Konkan is a demonstration of the strengthening “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership” between India and the UK, aligning with their Vision 2035.
- Reinforcing Interoperability: The exercises allow both navies to practice complex joint operations, improving their combined maritime and air capabilities while ensuring effective coordination between different units and forces.
- Aid in Regional Stability: the exercises will display their commitment to a rules-based international order and for maintaining peace and security in the strategically significant Indo-Pacific region.
- Deterrence: it will ensure confidence-building measures between the two nations displaying deterrence against potential threats in regards to maritime security.
- The exercise will help in deploying effective response with regards to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) missions as well as other regional security challenges.
Support for Blue-Water Navies: As both the Indian and Royal Navies operate multi-carrier fleets, Konkan provides valuable opportunities for both nations to collaborate in complex, large-scale operations.
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