New Delhi, Mar 9 :Indian Navy’s largest Operational Level exercise TROPEX conducted over four months across the Indian Ocean Region concluded in the Arabian Sea. It saw participation of 70 Indian Navy ships, six submarines and over 75 aircraft.

TROPEX, that began in November last year, culminated this week in the Arabian Sea. The overall exercise construct included Coastal Defence exercise Sea Vigil and the Amphibious Exercise AMPHEX. Together, these exercises also witnessed significant participation from the Indian Army, the Indian Air Force and the Coast Guard, an official statement said.

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 nm from North to South upto 35 deg South Latitude and 5,000 nm from Persian Gulf in the West to North Australia coast in the East, spanning an area of over 21 million square nautical miles. TROPEX 23 witnessed participation of approximately 70 Indian Navy ships, six submarines and over 75 aircraft.

The culmination of TROPEX 23 brings to an end an intense operational phase for the Indian Navy that commenced in Nov 2022.

As part of the final Joint Phase, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh spent a day at sea onboard the newly commissioned Indigenous Aircraft Carrier Vikrant on March 6. He reviewed the Indian Navy’s operational preparedness and material readiness wherein the Navy demonstrated operational manoeuvers and various facets of combat operations, including deck operations of indigenous LCA and live weapon firings.

While addressing the Fleets, the Defence Minister lauded the Operational preparedness of the Indian Navy and emphasised that the country looks up to the Navy to ensure that the economic lifelines and military capabilities of our adversaries are disrupted to the extent where their warfighting endeavours can no longer be sustained.

He also stated that he is fully reassured that Indian Navy is wholly capable of safeguarding India’s national interests in the maritime domain and will thwart the diabolical designs of any potential adversaries who seek to threaten India’s peaceful existence. He complimented the Indian Navy for being at the forefront of the ‘Make in India’ Initiative and leveraging the path of Aatmanirbharta to be ‘Combat Ready, Credible, Cohesive and Future Proof’, it added.