Western Seaboard, India: The 2025 edition of the bilateral naval exercise “KONKAN” between the Indian Navy and the Royal Navy commenced on October 5 off India’s western coast. This year’s edition, KONKAN-25, marks a significant scale-up in complexity, strategic depth, and multinational collaboration.
Now in its third decade, the KONKAN series continues to strengthen interoperability, mutual trust, and maritime security cooperation between India and the United Kingdom, in line with the India–UK Vision 2035.
Exercise Split into Harbour and Sea Phases
The exercise will be conducted over two distinct phases from October 5 to October 12, 2025:
1. Harbour Phase
Taking place ashore, this phase includes:
- Professional interactions
- Cross-deck visits
- Sports fixtures
- Cultural engagements
- Joint Working Group meetings
- Subject Matter Expert exchanges
These engagements aim to deepen understanding of each other’s naval doctrines, operational philosophies, and joint strategies.
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2. Sea Phase
At sea, the focus shifts to high-end operational drills, including:
- Anti-air warfare (AAW)
- Anti-surface warfare (ASuW)
- Anti-submarine warfare (ASW)
- Carrier flying operations
- Seamanship evolutions
- Coordinated patrols and tactical manoeuvres
Big Naval Guns in Action: INS Vikrant & HMS Prince of Wales Lead the Charge
The highlight of this year’s exercise is the participation of carrier battle groups from both navies:
India is represented by the INS Vikrant, India’s first indigenously built aircraft carrier, along with destroyers, frigates, submarines, and integral air assets.
United Kingdom’s Carrier Strike Group (UK CSG 25), led by HMS Prince of Wales, is taking part with additional support from Norwegian and Japanese naval elements—making this year’s KONKAN a truly multinational affair.
Strengthening the Strategic Maritime Partnership
KONKAN-25 reflects the deepening Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between India and the UK. It underscores both countries’ commitment to a rules-based international order, freedom of navigation, and regional maritime stability in the Indo-Pacific.
Exercise with Indian Air Force to Follow
Following the conclusion of KONKAN-25 on October 12, the UK Carrier Strike Group (UK CSG 25) will engage in a one-day joint exercise with the Indian Air Force off India’s western coast on October 14, 2025, before proceeding with its broader Indo-Pacific deployment.
Strategic Significance
Exercise KONKAN is not only a tactical and operational engagement—it is a diplomatic and strategic signalling platform, reinforcing shared security goals in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
In an era of evolving maritime challenges, such bilateral engagements offer confidence-building, deterrence value, and operational readiness for coordinated humanitarian assistance, disaster relief (HADR), and regional security missions.
