In the maiden deployment of an Indian Navy submarine to Australia, INS Vagir, a Scorpene-class submarine, on an extended-range deployment since June, will reach the city of Fremantle on August 20.
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Concurrently, on the east coast of Australia, Indian naval ships and aircraft are taking part in the ongoing Exercise Malabar 23 also involving Australia, Japan and the U.S. and will later participate in AUSINDEX 23 from August 22-24.
This deployment comes just a month after a Dornier maritime patrol aircraft of the Navy and an Indian Air Force (IAF) C-130 transport aircraft were for the first time deployed to the Cocos (Keeling) Islands (CKI) of Australia, located in the Southern Indian Ocean and close to Indonesia and the strategic maritime choke points into the Indian Ocean, The Hindu had reported.
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Australia has also invited India for the Sea Power conference that it is hosting from November 7 to 9 which New Delhi is likely to attend.
“The ongoing deployment is a testament to the reach and sustenance of Indian Navy submarines. The extended range deployment is the maiden deployment by an IN submarine to Australia and showcases the capability and professional acumen to undertake sustained operations at extended ranges from the base port for prolonged durations,” the Navy said in statement on Saturday.
Vagir is the Navy’s fifth Kalvari class submarine. It was commissioned in January 2023 and is based at Western Naval Command, Mumbai. During her stay in Australia, the submarine will participate in various exercises with Royal Australian Navy (RAN) units on the West Coast of Australia, the Navy said in a statement.
“During the ongoing deployment, basic, intermediate and advanced-level anti-submarine exercises are scheduled. In addition, RAN submarine and Indian Naval P-8I aircraft are scheduled to exercise with INS Vagir,” the Navy said, adding this deployment would further augment the cooperation and synergy with the Royal Australian Navy.