Down Under, Quite Literally: India-Australia Naval Exercise In Vizag With Focus On Anti-Submarine Warfare

With a focus on anti-submarine warfare, Australia and India will be holding a major naval exercise next month as part of efforts to increase bilateral cooperation in the strategic Indian Ocean region, Defence News has reported.

The report cited an Australian diplomatic source as saying that the third installment of the “AUSINDEX” exercise will be held off the coast of Vishakhapatnam from 2 to 16 April. It will be a complex exercise with focus on anti-submarine warfare. According to the source cited in the report, an Indian submarine will be involved in the exercise.

According to the report, more than 1,000 Australian defence personnel, landing helicopter dock HMAS Canberra, Auxiliary Oiler Replenishment vessel and two frigates - HMAS Newscastle and Paramatta - will participate in the exercise.

The area of the exercise will reportedly be within 200 miles of Vishakhapatnam. Maritime patrol aircraft, P8I and P8, will also be involved in the exercise.

As per the report, on the question of Quad grouping, comprising India, United States, Japan and Australia, not being upgraded, another Australian diplomatic source said that Quad should be allowed to evolve on its own.

"Quad needs to be given space to find its own feet. If we try to push Quad too far too fast, we actually risk undoing the relationships we are building through it," the source was quoted in the report as saying.