Exercise Konkan 2025: Indian Navy and Royal Navy begin bilateral drill off India's western coast
On 5 October 2025, off India's western coast, the Indian Navy and the UK's Royal Navy began the bilateral Exercise Konkan-25, running in two phases until 12 October.
Summary
On 5 October 2025, off India's western coast, the Indian Navy and the UK's Royal Navy began bilateral Exercise Konkan-25, held in two phases from 5 to 12 October. The harbour phase covers professional exchanges, cross-deck visits, Joint Working Group meetings and sports. The sea phase covers anti-air, anti-surface and anti-submarine drills and flying operations. The UK Carrier Strike Group (UK CSG 25), led by HMS Prince of Wales and including assets from Norway and Japan, takes part. India is represented by the carrier battle group of the indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant. The Navy said the exercise reflects the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership set out in 'India-UK Vision 2035'. After Konkan, UK CSG 25 was to hold a one-day exercise with the Indian Air Force on 14 October.
Key facts
- Dates
- 5–12 Oct 2025, harbour + sea phases
- UK side
- UK CSG 25 led by HMS Prince of Wales (with Norway, Japan assets)
- Indian side
- INS Vikrant carrier battle group
- Framework
- India-UK Vision 2035 — Comprehensive Strategic Partnership
Practice MCQs 2 questions
Exercise Konkan, which began on 5 October 2025, is a bilateral exercise between the Indian Navy and which navy?
Show answer
Correct answer: C — Royal Navy (United Kingdom)
PIB (Indian Navy): Exercise KONKAN-25 is a bilateral exercise between the Indian Navy and the Royal Navy of the UK, held off India's western coast from 5 to 12 October 2025.
Consider the following statements about Exercise Konkan 2025: 1. It was conducted off the eastern coast of India in the Bay of Bengal. 2. The Indian side was represented by the carrier battle group of INS Vikrant. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Show answer
Correct answer: B — 2 only
Only 2 is correct. PIB: the exercise was held off the western coast of India (western seaboard), and the Indian side was represented by the carrier battle group of the indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant; the UK CSG 25 was led by HMS Prince of Wales.