INDRA (naval exercise)
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INDRA NAVY is a joint, biennial military exercise conducted by India and Russia starting in 2003. The exercise is tasked with boosting cooperation and interoperability between the Russian and Indian navies. The word INDRA is a portmanteau of the participants' respective countries.[1] The exercise involves live firing drills, as well as air defence and anti submarine operations. Additionally, counterpiracy, terrorism and drug smuggling operations are carried out.[2]
Background
[edit]The end of the Cold War which brought greatly reduced defense budgets saw a collapse in ship building and naval activity in Russia throughout the 1990s. During this time, the Russian navy had no presence in the Indian Ocean. This changed in 2001, when a contingent of naval ships, including anti-submarine warfare vessels and a tanker docked at Mumbai.[3] In April 2003, nine warships of the Russian navy departed from their bases at Sevastopol in the Black Sea and Vladivostok for the Indian Ocean. These units engaged in a number of exercises with the Indian navy. Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov proposed joint naval exercises to be held later that year.
The 12th edition took place in the Volgograd, Russia from 1st to 13th August 2021. An Indian Army contingent from Mechanised Infantry Regiment also took part in the regiment. The contingent from both the nations consisted of 250 personnel each.[4]
The 13th edition was hosted in Bay of Bengal by India in November 2023. Russia had sent two destroyers from its Pacific Fleet including Admiral Tributs and Admiral Panteleyev.[5]
The 14th edition of the exercise was hosted off the coast of Chennai, India from 28 March to 2 April 2024 and included the Harbour phase (28 to 30 March) in Chennai and the Sea Phase (31 March to 2 April) in Bay of Bengal. The Russian Navy sent ships from its Pacific Fleet including Pechanga (Dubna class), Rezkiy (Steregushchiy class), Aldar Tsydenzhapov (Steregushchiy class). Meanwhile, the Indian Navy deployed INS Rana (D52), INS Kuthar (P46) and one Boeing P-8I Neptune.[6][7]
The 15th edition was hosted by India and commenced with the harbour phase from March 28 to 30 at Chennai while the 'sea phase' is from March 31 to April 2 in the Bay of Bengal.The Russian naval ships -- Pechanga, Rezkiy and Aldar Tsydenzhapov again attended the exercise.The Indian Navy has also deployed its warships Rana, Kuthar and a P-8l Maritime patrol aircraft.[8]
Image gallery
[edit]-
Naval maneuvers during Exercise INDRA 14 -
An Indian Navy Ka-28 Helix helicopter during INDRA 07 -
Naval ship of the IN during INDRA 07 -
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Indian Navy – Welcome you
- ^ "Vladivostok Times". www.vladivostoktimes.com. Archived from the original on 2 February 2011. Retrieved 28 April 2019.
- ^ "IPCS - Institute Of Peace & Conflict Studies". www.ipcs.org.
- ^ "EXERCISE INDRA-21". Press Information Bureau. 7 July 2021. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
- ^ Deshpande, Smruti (22 November 2023). "India holds maritime exercise with Russia, land exercise with US". ThePrint. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
- ^ "INDIAN AND RUSSIAN NAVIES SET FOR THE 14th EDITION OF MARITIME BILATERAL EXERCISE – INDRA 2025". Press Information Bureau. 28 March 2025. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
- ^ "BILATERAL NAVAL EXERCISE INDRA-2025". Press Information Bureau. 4 April 2025. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
- ^ "India, Russia kick-start 6-day naval exercise - The Economic Times". m.economictimes.com. Retrieved 7 April 2025.
External links
[edit]
- Official web site
- Bharat Rakshak - Informative web site
- Defence - Informative web site
- Domain B online business magazine
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