Indian Navy meets British carrier group in Indian Ocean

British and Indian warships have conducted joint maritime exercises in the North Arabian Sea, as the UK Carrier Strike Group continues its Indo-Pacific deployment.

HMS Prince of Wales, the Royal Navy’s flagship aircraft carrier, and frigate HMS Richmond took part in a two-day passage exercise on 9 and 10 June alongside Indian Navy submarine INS Tabar and P-8I maritime patrol aircraft.

The drill included anti-submarine warfare operations, tactical manoeuvres, cross-deck helicopter control, and officer exchanges between the two navies.

According to the Indian Navy, the exercise “underscores the deepening cooperation between the two navies and showcases shared commitment to maritime security and robust bilateral ties.”

The engagement comes as the UK Carrier Strike Group, led by HMS Prince of Wales, enters the Indo-Pacific phase of its eight-month Operation Highmast deployment. The task group had earlier passed through the Suez Canal and Red Sea after completing intensive drills with NATO allies in the Mediterranean.

The deployment marks the first time the 65,000-tonne aircraft carrier has operated in the Indian Ocean and beyond, with her embarked F-35B jets, Merlin helicopters and 4,500 personnel. She is accompanied by destroyer HMS Dauntless, frigates from the UK, Canada, Norway, and Spain, and a range of air and support elements.

The Indo-Pacific leg of the mission will involve further high-end exercises with regional partners to demonstrate Britain’s enduring commitment to Indo-Pacific security and international maritime norms.

The Royal Navy has steadily increased its presence in the region in recent years, including through patrols by offshore vessels and periodic deployments by larger warships. The current carrier-led deployment is seen as a key signal of the UK’s long-term strategic interest in the region, both in defence and economic terms.