IAF, UK Royal Navy conduct joint drills over Indian Ocean

In a display of growing defence cooperation between India and the United Kingdom, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has conducted a joint exercise with the UK Royal Navy over the Indian Ocean.

Notably, the UK Royal Navy's F-35B stealth combat jets—state-of-the-art, fifth-generation aircraft developed by US defence firm Lockheed Martin—participated in the exercise.

On the Indian side, the IAF deployed its Russian-made Sukhoi-30 MKI jets and British-origin Jaguar jets, both of which are equipped for maritime roles.

The F-35B jets are based on the deck of the 65,000-tonne UK aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales. The IAF jets, meanwhile, took off from land bases and rendezvoused over the sea to conduct the drills.

On Wednesday, the IAF shared images from the exercise and stated: “On 14 Oct, IAF’s Sukhoi-30 MKIs, Jaguars, AWACS & AEW&C aircraft joined Royal Navy F-35Bs from HMS Prince of Wales for a joint exercise over the Indian Ocean Region.”

The inclusion of AWACS and AEW&C aircraft was a critical component of the operation.

AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) is an aircraft-mounted radar designed to detect and track aircraft, ships, missiles, and other vehicles over long ranges.

AEW&C (Airborne Early Warning and Control) is another radar system designed to detect and track aircraft and ships, and direct forces to respond. Essentially, it serves as a flying command and control centre.

The IAF added that the “training strengthened interoperability, mutual trust, and collective commitment to regional stability.”

The objective of this aerial drill was to enhance both nations’ capacities to operate jointly.

The UK’s Carrier Strike Group, led by HMS Prince of Wales, has been on an eight-month deployment under ‘Operation Highmast’ since April, reflecting the UK’s increasing focus on the Indo-Pacific region.

India and the UK are working under the frameworks of the India-UK 2030 Roadmap and the India-UK Vision 2035, which aim to elevate bilateral ties through strategic partnerships in defence and technology.

India and UK have a “India-UK 2030 Roadmap” and the “India-UK Vision 2035,” which aim to elevate the bilateral relationship through strategic partnerships in technology and defence.

Earlier this month, India and UK also announced a new £350 million contract for delivering UK-manufactured Lightweight Multirole Missiles (LMM) to the Indian Army. The deal paves the way for a broader complex weapons partnership between the UK and India, currently under negotiation between the two governments.

Also the two sides announced an agreement for cooperation in military training, under which Flying Instructors from the Indian Air Force will serve as trainers with the UK’s Royal Air Force.

Last week, the Indian Navy and UK’s Royal Navy concluded maritime exercise ‘Konkan-2025’ with ‘carrier strike groups’ led by the INS Vikrant and HMS Prince of Wales, respectively.

The exercise included fighter jets and helicopters operating from the aircraft carriers’ decks, supported by accompanying warships and submarines receiving live situational feed from surveillance planes and satellites.

It involved maritime operational drills focusing on anti-aircraft, anti-surface, and anti-submarine exercises, flying operations and other seamanship evolutions.

Earlier in June, HMS Prince of Wales and conducted a passage exercise with INS Tabar, a submarine and a P-8I maritime surveillance.