Russian-Indian naval exercises start in Arab Sea

Thursday will see the beginning of the first in the last 15 years joint Russian-Indian naval exercises in the Arab Sea.

The group of battle ships under the flag of Deputy Commander of the Black Sea Fleet, Vice Admiral Yevgeni Orlov, include the Black Sea Fleet flagship, guard missile cruiser "Moskva" and three Pacific Fleet ships, two big anti-submarine ships, "Admiral Panteleev" and "Marshal Shaposhnikov", as well as a tanker, "Vladimir Kolechitsky".

At the first stage of the exercises, which are scheduled to take place on May 22nd-23rd, the Indian side will be represented by battle ships of the Western Fleet.

The second stage of the exercises is scheduled for June 1st-2nd and will take place in the Bay of Bengal. It will involve ships of the Indian Eastern Fleet.

The commander and crews of the two countries' ships must exercise joint maneuvering, provision of air defence, artillery shooting at sea and air goals, fighting with a hypothetical enemy's submarines and extending help to wrecked ships.