RAN and IN Train Together in AUSINDEX 21

Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and Indian Navy (IN) warships recently concluded a high-end maritime warfare training exercise held between both nations as part the AUSINDEX maritime series.

The sea phase of the exercises held in the North Australian Exercise Area, featured participation from RAN’s Anzac Class Frigate, HMAS Warramunga and INS Shivalik, a Guided Missile Stealth Frigate and the Anti-Submarine Corvette INS Kadmat, belonging to the IN’s Eastern Fleet based at Visakhapatnam.

“This exercise is the culmination of a busy work-up period for Warramunga and her crew. It presents the ideal stage for the ship to showcase its ability to integrate in a collaborative setting with Shivalik and Kadmaat,” RAN officer of the watch Sub Lieutenant Declan Smith said in a Defence release.

The maritime exercises in its fourth iteration which included communication, maritime manoeuvres, and combined warfare serials, also witnessed surface units of both navies exercising with the RAN Collins Class submarine HMAS Rankin. In addition to the integral helicopters of both Navies, the Royal Australian Air Force took part in the exercises with a P-8A and F-18As.

Submarine operations are growing feature of AUSINDEX with the 3rd edition of the exercise, held in 2019 in the Bay of Bengal, including anti-submarine drills for the first time and the first coordinated P-8 maritime patrol aircraft missions between both Navies.

The bilateral AUSINDEX maritime exercises commenced in 2015.