AUSINDEX-19, Third Edition of Bilateral Maritime Exercise between Australian and Indian Navies, Begins

Date:

New Delhi. The third edition of AUSINDEX, an acronym for Australia India Exercise, commenced with the arrival of HMAS Canberra (L02), a Landing Helicopter Dock; HMAS New Castle (06) and HMAS Paramatta (154), both frigates; HMAS Collins, a conventional submarine and HMAS Success(OR 304), a Durance-class multi-product replenishment oiler at Visakhapatnam on April 2.

The aim of the exercise is to strengthen and enhance mutual cooperation and interoperability between the Indian Navy (IN) and Royal Australian Navy (RAN), providing opportunities for interaction and exchange of professional views between the personnel of the two navies.

ads

This is a sign of strengthening of bilateral and defence cooperation between the two countries as envisaged in the Framework for Security Cooperation (FSC) announced by the Australian and Indian Prime Ministers in 2014. The maiden edition of the exercise was held at Visakhapatnam in September 2015. Australia hosted the second edition of the exercise off Freemantle in June 2017, wherein ships of the Eastern Fleet of the Indian Navy (IN) exercised with Royal Australian Navy (RAN) ships and submarines.

Building on a long history of cooperation – including the shared experiences in the trenches of World War I in Gallipoli and along the Western Front – Australia and India have a positive defence relationship, underpinned by the 2006 Memorandum of Defence Cooperation and 2009 Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation. However, post the 2014 bilateral FSC the cooperation on defence and security matters between the two countries has gained significant momentum thus, witnessing conscious and focussed enhancements.

The complexity of the biennial maritime exercise over the past four years has steadily increased. The third edition would involve exercises in all three dimensions with focus on ASW. The number of units being fielded by both navies in the bilateral exercise is the highest till date. The increased scale of participation signifies the importance attached to the exercise by both countries while the enhanced complexity is indicative of the interoperability between the two navies.

Overall, the exercise underscores India’s vision of SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) and shared objectives of the two countries towards ensuring good order in the maritime domain and solidarity with friendly and harmonious countries.

big bang

More like this

Digital Steel: Transforming the Armoured Corps for Integrated Multidomain Wars

The Imperative for Doctrinal Transformation: India’s Armoured Corps faces...

BEL, CSIR-CEERI Ink MoU to Indigenously Develop Advanced Technologies Critical to Nation’s Defence

Bengaluru: Navratna Defence PSU Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), a...

VTU Teams Up with QNu Labs to Build India’s Next Generation of Quantum Technology Experts

Bengaluru: During India Mobile Congress 2025 (IMC-2025), in a...

Swiss International Air Lines Takes Delivery of its First A350-900

Toulouse, France. Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS), member of...

Exercise Konkan 25: Deepening India-UK Defence Cooperation in Indo-Pacific Region

New Delhi: For the first time in naval history,...

Boosting Air Defence: Indian Army Launches Indigenous ‘SAKSHAM’ Counter-UAS Grid

New Delhi: Representing a major leap in integrated airspace...

German Lawmakers Green Light $8.14 Billion Defence Procurement, Back New Eurofighters Purchase

Berlin: Germany’s parliament has given the green light for...
Indian Navy Special EditionLatest Issue