A ‘Joint Guidance for the Australia – India Navy to Navy Relationship’ was signed between the Indian Navy and Royal Australian Navy on August 18, 2021…reports Asian Lite News
Royal Australian Air Force P-8A Poseidon will be conducting joint maritime surveillance patrols this week with the Indian Navy to enhance maritime capabilities and build maritime domain awareness, Australian High Commission said on Sunday.
“Royal Australian Air Force P-8A Poseidon will conduct joint maritime surveillance patrols this week with our Indian Navy mates. As top-tier security partners, India & Australia will continue to work together to enhance our maritime capabilities and build maritime domain awareness,” the statement by Australian High Commission read.
Last year also, a Royal Australian Air Force (RAFF) P-8A Poseidon aircraft was deployed to India under a combined India-Australia maritime surveillance initiative.
Previously, IN P8I aircraft had operated from Darwin, Australia in April 2022 and undertaken coordinated ops with RAAF P8A in Northern Australian waters.
A ‘Joint Guidance for the Australia – India Navy to Navy Relationship’ was signed between the Indian Navy and Royal Australian Navy on August 18, 2021.
Subsequently, the ‘Terms of Reference for the Conduct of Navy-to-Navy Talks’ was signed on September 29, 2021.
India-France drill
Indian and French naval ships on Friday held a Maritime Partnership Exercise in the Bay of Bengal, adding further boost to defence relationship between the two countries.
In a statement released on Saturday, the Ministry of Defence said that Indian Navy’s INS Rana, a guided missile destroyer, and INS Sumedha, an indigenously built offshore patrol vessel undertook a Maritime Partnership Exercise (MPX) with French Navy ship FS Surcouf, in the Bay of Bengal on June 30.
The Ministry said the French Navy’s La Fayette class frigate Surcouf visited Visakhapatnam from June 26 to 29, 2023 and participated in a variety of activities with Indian Navy ships which included professional and social interactions, sports fixtures, and cross deck visits.
On departure from Visakhapatnam, FS Surcouf undertook various exercises with IN ships Rana and Sumedha, which included tactical manoeuvres, replenishment at sea (RAS) approaches, air defence against fighter aircraft and cross deck helicopter operations.
The MPX culminated with a customary farewell steampast between the ships reaffirming the close friendship between the two navies.
The visit of FS Surcouf to India signifies the strong navy-to-navy links, interoperability and strong bonds between Indian Navy and French Navy.
Earlier this year, FS La Fayette, a frigate and FS Dixmude, a Mistral-class amphibious assault class ship had participated in an MPX with INS Sahyadri, a guided missile frigate from March 10 to 11, 2023.
Indian and French navies have been regularly holding bilateral naval exercises since 1993.(with inputs from agencies)
ALSO READ-Australia to abandon billion dollar space satellite programme
