NEW DELHI: The Indian Air Force (IAF) carried out a high-intensity joint exercise with the United Kingdom’s Carrier Strike Group (CSG) over the Indian Ocean Region.
The Royal Navy and the Indian Navy conducted their first ever combined carrier operations during the bilateral maritime exercise KONKAN-25 from October 5 to 12, 2025, off the western coast of India. This coincided with PM Keir Starmer visiting India, progressing the bilateral defence partnership most notably through a collaboration for developing naval electric propulsion systems.
The sea phase of the exercise encompassed drills focusing on anti-air, anti-surface, anti-submarine exercises and flying operations. F-35B Lightning stealth fighters and MiG 29K jets conducted aerial exercises followed by a flypast and photoshoot. The two sides carried out a combined submarine hunt as an Indian Navy boat tried to evade detection by warships, helicopters such as the Merlin Mk2s embarked on HMS Prince of Wales and frigate HMS Richmond and P8 Neptune Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA). The ships of the UK Carrier Strike Group (UK CSG 25) also visited Mumbai (HMS Richmond) and Goa (HMS Prince of Wales).
The UK CSG is formed around the Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, supported by a Type 45 destroyer HMS Dauntless, a Type 23 frigate HMS Richmond, and Royal Fleet Auxiliary support ships including RFA Tidespring and ships of allies and partners. The CSG operates F-35B Lightning aircraft, and Merlin and Wildcat helicopters. HMS Dauntless did not take part in the exercise.
The Indian Navy deployed carrier INS Vikrant, destroyers INS Surat, INS Mormugao and INS Kolkata, frigates INS Tabar and INS Teg as well as fleet tanker INS Deepak along with P-8I MPA and other assets including submarines. Other vessels as part of the UK CSG taking part in Konkan-25 were JS Akebono and HNoMS Roald Amundsen.
Meanwhile during his visit to India, PM Keir Starmer met PM Narendra Modi after which they announced the intent to finalize an India – UK Inter-Governmental Agreement on cooperation in developing maritime electric propulsion systems for Indian Naval platforms. A UK press release stated that both countries signed the Implementing Arrangement to advance collaboration to the next stage, worth an initial £250 million. Both nations have been in talks for years to partner for electric propulsion requirements of the Indian Navy, which can be expected to be partly met by Rolls Royce which has an IFEP solution based on the MT-30 gas turbine engine. India is currently heavily reliant on Ukraine and the United States for its marine gas turbine requirements and has been seeking to improve self-reliance while diversifying its supply chain.
Other major defence initiatives included an agreement to proceed via government to government route on an initial supply of Lightweight Multirole Missile (LMM) systems, worth up to £350 million and an arrangement that will see Indian Air Force Qualified Flying Instructors integrated into UK Royal Air Force training.
Earlier in June, HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Richmond from the UK CSG 25 had conducted a passage exercise with INS Tabar, a submarine and a P-8I MPA of the Indian Navy in the North Arabian Sea according to the Indian Navy, while UK press release stated that this exercise included a Combined Anti-Submarine Exercise (CASEX).
UK CSG 25 is also scheduled to participate in a one-day exercise with the Indian Air Force off the western coast of India on October 14, 2025 prior to continuing with her planned deployments enroute to the UK.
During the deployment in June, an F-35B of the Royal Navy operating from the carrier had experienced a technical malfunction. India’s CISF, a paramilitary force, had “swiftly secured” the Royal Navy F-35B fighter jet after its emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram Airport. The event made headlines as the aircraft laid stranded for about a month before repairs were conducted, complicated by the sensitive nature of the aircraft mandating heightened security.
The UK and India are expanding the defence partnership tangibly with such exercises, training and defence procurement. This occurs even as the regional footprint of the UK is set to be changed with the handover of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, a move supported and welcomed by India.
