Indian navy conducts major exercise Tropex with 70 ships, 6 submarines and over 75 aircraft

Indian navy's biggest-ever biennial exercise Theatre Level Operational Readiness Exercise (Tropex) witnessed the participation of around 70 ships, six submarines and more than 75 aircraft and covered over 21 million square nautical miles.

A series of complex drills and manoeuvres featuring almost all assets of the Indian navy was a major highlight of Tropex that culminated this week in the Arabian Sea, reports the NDTV citing the country's navy officials. 

The exercise, which began in November last, also witnessed significant participation from the Indian Army, the Indian Air Force and the Coast Guard.

The overall exercise constructs included the coastal defence exercise "Sea Vigil" and the amphibious exercise "AMPHEX".

"Set in the Indian Ocean including the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, the theatre of operations for the exercise extended approximately 4,300 nautical miles (nm) from North to South up to 35 degree South Latitude and 5000 nm from Persian Gulf in the West to North Australia coast in the East, spanning an area of over 21 million square nautical miles," Indian navy's spokesperson Commander Vivek Madhwal said.

He said Tropex witnessed participation of approximately 70 Indian Navy ships, six submarines and more than 75 aircraft.

"The culmination of the exercise brings to an end an intense operational phase for the Indian Navy that commenced in November 2022," he said.

As part of the final phase, Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh spent a day at sea on board the newly commissioned indigenous aircraft carrier Vikrant on 6 March.

He reviewed the Indian navy's operational preparedness and material readiness wherein the Navy demonstrated operational manoeuvres and various facets of combat operations, including deck operations of indigenous light combat aircraft and live weapon firings.