Joint exercises of Russian and Indian Fleets to take place in Indian Ocean

Joint Russo-Indian naval exercises are scheduled to take place in late May-early June first in the Arabian Sea, near India's western coats, and then in the east, in the Bay of Bengal.

According to Commander of the Western Naval Headquarters of India, Vice Admiral Arun Prakash, the exercises are due to begin on May 22nd.

The Russian side will be represented by a group of battleships under the flag of Deputy Commander of the Black Sea Fleet, Vice Admiral Yevgeny Orlov. Guided-missile cruiser, "Moskva", and three ships of the Pacific Fleet - two big anti-submarine ships, Admiral Panteleyev and Marshall Shaposhnikov as well as tanker, Vladimir Kolechitsky will participate in the exercises.

The Indian side will be represented by almost all battleships of the Eastern and Western Fleets including torpedo-boat destroyers and frigates with controlled missiles except for the aircraft-carrier, Vikram, which is in a poor condition and will soon be sent to the graving-dock.

During the exercises the parties will exercise joint manoeuvring of Russian and Indian ships, artillery shooting at sea and air targets, combating sub-marines of a possible enemy and rendering assistance to wrecked ships.

In order to detect sub-marines and to rescue crews at sea the exercises will involve shipborne helicopters.

Russian Ambassador to India Alexander Kadakin plans to visit the cruiser Moskva and is expected to observe the second stage of the exercises, which will be held in the Bay of Bengal in early June.

The exercises also envisage calls of the Russian ships at the ports of Mumbai and Vishakhapatnam.

Before the beginning of the exercises Mumbai will host a meeting of the Russian and Indian Navy representatives to discuss final details of conducting joint manoeuvres. The Russian delegation will be headed by representative of the Russian Navy Headquarters, Rear-Admiral Vladimir Pepelyayev.

The parties intend to give a press-conference on June 3rd after the exercises are over.