New Delhi: For the first time in naval history, the United Kingdom’s Carrier Strike Group (CSG) and the Indian Navy’s Vikrant Carrier Strike Group have operated together in a joint maritime exercise. The bilateral engagement, held under Exercise Konkan 25, marks a major milestone in deepening Indo-UK defence cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.
The joint exercise brought together the Royal Navy’s flagship aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales (R09) and the Indian Navy’s INS Vikrant (R11) for coordinated operations in the Western Indian Ocean.
High-resolution imagery from the UK Ministry of Defence captured the two carriers sailing in formation with other ships of their respective strike groups on October 3, 2025, underscoring a rare dual-carrier operational scenario in the Indian Ocean theatre.
Exercise Konkan has been held biennially since 2004, but this iteration represents a new level of operational collaboration, as both nations deployed full carrier strike groups. The 2025 edition aims to integrate multilateral assets, emphasizing interoperability in surface, sub-surface, and air warfare domains. The exercise began on October 5 in the Bay of Bengal and will continue for four days, featuring advanced aerial and maritime combat drills.
The UK CSG participating in Konkan 25 is commanded by Commodore James Blackmore and led by HMS Prince of Wales.
Supporting vessels include: HMS Prince of Wales – Second Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier and the Fleet Flagship, HMS Dauntless (D33) – Type 45 destroyer, HMS Richmond (F239) – Type 23 frigate, HNoMS Roald Amundsen (F311) – Royal Norwegian Navy frigate, JS Akebono (DD-108) – Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force destroyer and RFA Tidespring (A136) – Royal Fleet Auxiliary oiler
The CSG’s broader Operation Highmast deployment has been key to reaching full operational capability, showcasing the UK’s global naval mobility and coalition interoperability. HMS Dauntless joined the group after completing maintenance in Singapore, having skipped a planned Malaysian port call due to system repairs.
India’s Ministry of Defence confirmed INS Vikrant is leading the Indian Navy’s carrier strike element for the exercise. The accompanying vessels, as seen in Royal Navy imagery, include: INS Vikrant – Is India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier, INS Kolkata (D63), INS Mormugao (D67) and INS Surat (D69) – Kolkata-class guided-missile destroyers, INS Tabar (F44) and INS Teg (F45) – Talwar-class frigates and INS Deepak (A50) – Fleet tanker.
This composition reflects India’s rapidly maturing carrier aviation capability with home-built assets, highlighting Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) through deployment of fully indigenous and modernised platforms.
The four-day engagement includes air defence, anti-submarine warfare, and carrier flight deck operations. Both sides are exercising coordinated carrier air operations, cross-deck helicopter flying, and refueling drills, supported by maritime patrol aircraft.
The exercise aims to enhance real-time coordination between British F-35B stealth fighters and Indian Navy MiG-29K aircraft during combined missions and tactical scenarios.
British High Commissioner to India Lindy Cameron emphasized that the drills underscore an Indo-Pacific that remains free, open, and rules-based, aligning with the UK-India Vision 2035. Commodore Blackmore hailed the exercise as a key milestone in building “combined operational capabilities in support of regional security.”
Both statements reflect shared commitment to securing maritime commons and countering coercive behaviours in the Indo-Pacific.
Upon completion of Konkan 25 on October 9, the UK CSG will conduct port calls in Mumbai and Goa, hosting bilateral naval and industrial exchanges. The engagement phase will culminate in a one-day trilateral air-sea exercise on October 14 with the Indian Air Force, off India’s western coast, involving carrier-based and land-based jet coordination.
The U.K. CSG’s participation follows its prior involvement in the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) Exercise Bersama Lima 2025, alongside Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, and Singapore.
During that exercise, HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Richmond participated in integrated air and sea warfare drills with multi-nation fighter aircraft, including F-35A/B variants, F-15s, F-16s, and Su-30MKMs. The UK CSG also led a solemn memorial ceremony over the wrecks of HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse, sunk in 1941 during World War II.
The dual carrier operations between HMS Prince of Wales and INS Vikrant represent a defining moment for India-UK maritime relations, reinforcing interoperability at the highest tactical level. The exercise complements existing Indo-UK cooperation on defence technology, underlining mutual priorities in maritime security, freedom of navigation, and stability across the Indo-Pacific region.
