Indian Navy has established a presence in IOR with IN ships through Mission-Based Deployments with the objective of undertaking sustained surveillance to enhance Maritime Domain Awareness, address military challenges, pursue Navy-to-Navy Foreign Cooperation initiatives, and tackle contingencies such as piracy, drug/arms trafficking, natural calamities, etc.
Indian Navy maintains a year presence in the Gulf of Aden, the Persian Gulf, and the Gulf of Oman, Approaches Malacca Strait, Central and South Indian Ocean, etc. including Air Surveillance.
List of Bilateral Exercises country wise:
Exercise Name: AUSINDEX
Country: Australia
Periodicity: Biennial
About AUSINDEX Exercise: Indian Navy Task Group comprising IN Ships Shivalik and Kadmatt, under the Command of Flag Officer Commanding, Eastern Fleet, Rear Admiral Tarun Sobti, VSM is participating in the 4th edition of AUSINDEX from 06 to 10 Sep 21. Commenced in 2015 as a bilateral IN-RAN maritime exercise, AUSINDEX has grown in complexity over the years and the 3rd edition of the exercise, held in 2019 in the Bay of Bengal, included anti-submarine drills for the first time.
Exercise Name: IN-BN BILAT
Country: Bangladesh
Periodicity: Annual
About IN-BN BILAT Exercise: The second edition of Indian Navy (IN) – Bangladesh Navy (BN) Bilateral Exercise Bongosagar is scheduled to commence in the Northern Bay of Bengal on 03 October 2020. Exercise Bongosagar, whose first edition was held in 2019, is aimed at developing inter-operability and joint operational skills through conduct of a wide spectrum of maritime exercises and operations. In the upcoming edition of Exercise Bongosagar, ships from both navies will participate in surface warfare drills, seamanship evolutions, and helicopter operations.
Exercise Name: IN-BN SF Exercise
Country: Bangladesh
Periodicity: Annual
About IN-BN SF Exercise Exercise: The objective of this naval exercise is to enhance defence interoperability and secure maritime boundary.
Exercise Name: VARUNA
Country: France
Periodicity: Annual
About VARUNA Exercise: Bilateral naval exercises between the Indian and French navies were initiated in 1993. In 2001, the exercise was christened ‘VARUNA’ and has become a vital part of the India-France strategic bilateral relationship.
Exercise Name: IND-INDO BILAT (Samudra Shakti)
Country: Indonesia
Periodicity: Annual
About Samudra Shakti Exercise: 3rd edition of Bilateral Exercise Samudra Shakti between Indian Navy and Indonesian Navy concluded on 22 September 2021. The exercise was conducted off the approaches to Sunda Strait.
Exercise Name: JIMEX
Country: Japan
Periodicity: Biennial
About JIMEX Exercise: JIMEX series of exercises commenced in January 2012 with a special focus on maritime security cooperation. The fifth edition of India – Japan Maritime Bilateral Exercise, JIMEX, between the Indian Navy (IN) and the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF), was held in Arabian Sea from 06 to 08 October 2021.
Exercise Name: IN-RMNBILAT
Country: Malaysia
Periodicity: Biennial
About Zair-Al-Bahr Exercise: The bilateral maritime exercise between two navies strengthens the maritime exchanges between the two countries and enhance maritime security in the region. Last time in 2018 India and Malaysia held a joint naval exercise here marking the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic ties, with Navy vessels from the two countries staging live-fire drills.
Exercise Name: Ex Ekatha
Country: Maldives
Periodicity: Annual
About Ex Ekatha Exercise: Since 1988, defence and security have been a major area of cooperation between India and the Maldives.
Exercise Name: IN-MN BILAT
Country: Myanmar
Periodicity: Annual
About IN-MN BILAT Exercise: This maritime exercise develops jointness b/w both India and Myanmar. In Visakhapatnam on 25 Mar 18, this IN-MN Bilateral Exercise was held b/w both countries.
Exercise Name: IN-RNOBILAT (Naseem Al Bahr)
Country: Oman
Periodicity: Biennial
About Naseem Al Bahr Exercise: ‘Naseem-Al-Bahr’ (or sea breeze) is a naval exercise between the Indian Navy and the RNO, being conducted since 1993.
Exercise Name: IN-QENFBILAT (Zair-Al-Bahr)
Country: Qatar
Periodicity: Biennial
About Zair-Al-Bahr Exercise: The bilateral maritime exercise between two navies strengthens the maritime exchanges between the two countries and enhance maritime security in the region.
Exercise Name: INDRA Navy
Country: Russia
Periodicity: Biennial
About INDRA Navy Exercise: INDRA NAVY is a joint, biennial military exercise conducted by India and Russia starting in 2003.The 12th edition of exercise INDRA NAVY, a biennial bilateral maritime exercise between the Indian Navy and the Russian Navy was held in the Baltic Sea from 28 to 29 July 2021. Initiated in 2003, Ex INDRA NAVY epitomises the long-term strategic relationship between the two navies.
Exercise Name: IN-RSNF Bilateral (Al-Mohed Al-Hindi)
Country: Saudi Arabia
Periodicity: Annual
About Al-Mohed Al-Hindi Exercise: Frist ever India and Saudi Arabia started their first-ever Naval joint exercise called the Al-Mohed Al-Hindi Exercise. The decision on this Bilateral exercise was taken at the Riyadh Summit held in 2019.
Exercise Name: SIMBEX
Country: Singapore
Periodicity: Annual
About SIMBEX Exercise: Initiated in 1994, SIMBEX is the Indian Navy’s longest uninterrupted bilateral maritime exercise with any foreign navy. The 28th edition of the Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercise (SIMBEX) was conducted from 02 to 04 September 2021.
Exercise Name: SLINEX & IN-SLN SF Ex
Country: Sri Lanka
Periodicity: Annual
About SLINEX & IN-SLN SF Ex Exercise: SLINEX & IN-SLN SF Ex aims to enhance inter-operability, improve mutual understanding, and exchange best practices and procedures for multi-faceted maritime operations between both navies. The Ninth Edition of India – Sri Lanka Bilateral Maritime Exercise SLINEX (Sri Lanka–India Naval Exercise) was conducted at Visakhapatnam from 07 March to 10 March 2022.
Exercise Name: IN-UAENBILAT (Zayed Talwar)
Country: UAE
Periodicity: Biennial
About Zayed Talwar Exercise: The main objective of the ‘Zayed Talwar 2021’ naval exercise was to enhance interoperability and synergy between the two navies.
Exercise Name: KONKAN
Country: UK
Periodicity: Annual
About KONKAN Exercise: The Konkan series of exercises was started in 2004. Since then, the exercise is hosted in rotation by both the Navies and has grown in complexity, scale, and intensity.
Exercise Name: Ex Sangam (SF) & SALVEX (Salvage)
Country: USA
Periodicity: Annual
About Ex Sangam (SF) & SALVEX (Salvage) Exercise: Aim of this exercise is to enhance interoperability, improve mutual understanding and exchange best practices.
Exercise Name: IN-VPN BILAT
Country: Vietnam
Periodicity: Annual
About IN-VPN BILAT Exercise: The bilateral interaction aims to consolidate the strong bond shared by the two navies and would be another step towards strengthening India-Vietnam defence relations.
Here is the complete list of BILATERAL EXERCISE undertaken by the Indian Navy with friendly foreign countries are tabulated below:
| S No. | Country | Exercise | Periodicity |
| 1 | Australia | AUSINDEX | Biennial |
| 2 | Bangladesh | IN-BN BILAT | Annual |
| 3 | Bangladesh | IN-BN SF Exercise | Annual |
| 4 | France | VARUNA | Annual |
| 5 | Indonesia | IND-INDO BILAT | Annual |
| 6 | Japan | JIMEX | Biennial |
| 7 | Malaysia | IN-RMNBILAT | Biennial |
| 8 | Maldives | Ex Ekatha | Annual |
| 9 | Myanmar | IN-MN BILAT | Annual |
| 10 | Oman | IN-RNOBILAT | Biennial |
| 11 | Qatar | IN-QENFBILAT | Biennial |
| 12 | Russia | INDRA Navy | Biennial |
| 13 | Saudi Arabia | IN-RSNF Bilateral | Annual |
| 14 | Singapore | SIMBEX | Annual |
| 15 | Sri Lanka | SLINEX | Annual |
| 16 | Sri Lanka | IN-SLN SF Ex | Annual |
| 17 | UAE | IN-UAENBILAT | Biennial |
| 18 | UK | KONKAN | Annual |
| 19 | USA | Ex Sangam (SF) | Annual |
| 20 | USA | SALVEX (Salvage) | Annual |
| 21 | Vietnam | IN-VPN BILAT | Annual |
REVIEW QUESTIONS
- Exercise Zair-Al-Bahr 21 Conducted B/w
- India- Uzbekistan
- India- Uganda
- India- Qatar
- India- UAE
ANSWER: C
- Exercise INDRA 2021 Conducted B/w India &
- USA
- Nepal
- Russia
- France
ANSWER: C
- Exercise Samudra Shakti Conducted B/w Indonesia &
- India
- Nepal
- Bangladesh
- Bhutan
ANSWER: A
- Which Edition of ‘AUSINDEX’ 2021 Conducted In 2021?
- 4th
- 5th
- 6th
- 7th
ANSWER: A
- Maiden Exercise 2021 Exercise Conducted B/w
- India-Nepal
- India-Indonesia
- India-Bhutan
- India-Qatar
ANSWER: B
- Maiden Al-Mohed Al-Hindi Exercise 2021 held in
- China
- India
- Saudi Arabia
- UAE
ANSWER: C
- VARUNA-2021 Conducted b/w
- India-France
- India-Indonesia
- India-Bhutan
- India-Qatar
ANSWER: A
- SIMBEX Conducted b/w
- India-France
- India-Indonesia
- India-Bhutan
- India-Singapore
ANSWER: D
- KONKAN Shakti Conducted b/w
- India-France
- India-UK
- India-Bhutan
- India-Singapore
ANSWER: B
- VARUNA Exercise 2022 Conducted In
- Goa
- Paris
- Bay Of Bengal
- None
ANSWER: A
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