JOINT UK-INDIA CARRIER STRIKE GROUP EXERCISE DEEPENS DEFENCE TIES
The Voice of Chandigarh :
Britain’s strategic partnership with India continues to grow as the powerful UK-led Carrier Strike Group (CSG25) conducted military drills with the Indian Armed Forces, completing a successful visit to India as part of its ongoing eight-month deployment to the Indo-Pacific region, known as Operation Highmast.
During the visit, aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales and accompanying vessels joined with the Indian Navy’s Carrier Strike Group, led by the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant. This joint activity, known as Exercise Konkan, was conducted in the western Indian Ocean, and enhanced the warfighting capabilities of both nations, through developing deeper understanding between the two militaries.
HMS Prince of Wales and the UK Carrier Strike Group conducted combined air exercises with the Indian Air Force, further demonstrating the growing strategic alignment between both nations in the region, and helping keep Britian secure at home and strong abroad.
Operation Highmast reflects the UK’s global defence ambitions, underpinned by the Government’s commitment to increase defence spending to 2.6% of GDP from 2027, delivering on the Plan for Change and making defence an engine for growth.
UK Defence Minister Lord Vernon Coaker said: “It has been incredible to see the strength and reach of the UK Armed Forces as the Carrier Strike Group continued its deployment in South Asia this week.
“Alongside our leadership on global security, we have showcased leading-edge defence innovation which strengthens our trading relationship with India and secures British jobs.
“This strategic partnership help keep us secure at home and strong abroad, while the trade links promise a valuable boost to the UK economy – demonstrating once again that defence is an engine for growth.”
Lindy Cameron, British High Commissioner to India, said: “India, as the world’s largest democracy and an emerging economic superpower with one of the fastest growing economies in the world, is a top priority partner for the UK. The visit of the UK’s Carrier Strike Group to India was testament to the strength of the relationship between our two countries, which has been revitalised by our two Prime Ministers in recent months.
“Together the UK and India are now focused on the future with our shared vision for 2035, delivering growth, prosperity and security in a time of rapid global change.”
The CSG visit and joint exercises further strengthen a growing military partnership with India, following a new £350 million deal, which is set to deliver UK-manufactured Lightweight Multirole Missiles (LMM) to the Indian Army, showcasing defence as an engine for growth.
This new military-industrial collaboration will enhance interoperability between the UK and Indian Armed Forces while boosting the UK’s position as a leading defence exporter. The deal paves the way for a broader complex weapons partnership between the UK and India, currently under negotiation between the two governments, following the Prime Minister’s visit to Mumbai last week.
Last week, a new milestone was also reached in the UK and India’s cooperation on electric-powered engines for naval ships as both countries signed the Implementing Arrangement to advance collaboration to the next stage, worth an initial £250M.
CSG25 will depart the Indo-Pacific region, bound for the Mediterranean Sea for the final phase of the deployment prior to returning to UK waters by the end of the year.
Throughout the deployment, the strike group will advance military interoperability with partners and provide significant defence engagement opportunities that strengthen the UK’s global network of defence partnerships, reinforcing our commitment to an enduring presence in the Indo-Pacific.
