Context- The Arabian Sea served as the site of the Indian Navy’s major operational level exercise for the year 2023, TROPEX. It was held over the course of four months, from November 2022 to March 2023, and covered the entirety of the Indian Ocean.
Key Highlights
- According to the Navy, the amphibious exercise AMPHEX and the coastal defense exercise Sea Vigil were part of the overall exercise construct.
- The Indian Army, Indian Air Force, and Coast Guard also played a significant role.
- The exercise was held in the Indian Ocean, including the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal.
- The theater of operations covered more than 21 million square nautical miles and was approximately 4,300 nautical miles long from north to south, up to 35 degrees south latitude, and 5,000 nautical miles long from the Persian Gulf in the west to the North Australian coast in the east.
- Over 75 aircraft, six submarines, and approximately 70 ships from the Indian Navy participated in TROPEX-23.
- The intense operational phase that the Indian Navy began in November 2022 comes to an end with the completion of TROPEX-23.
Exercise Tropex
- TROPEX is conducted biennially and includes participation from Indian Navy units, Indian Army, Indian Air Force, and Coast Guard assets.
- The exercise is being conducted over a duration of three months, from January to March.
- Objective:
- To validate and refine the Navy’s Concept of Operations, including operational logistics and interoperability with other services.
- To test the combat readiness of the combined Fleets of the Indian Navy to operate in a multi-threat environment.
- Execution:
- All surface combatants of the Indian Navy including Destroyers, Frigates, Corvettes as well as submarines and aircraft are put through complex maritime operational deployments.
- The exercise is being conducted in different phases, both in harbour and at sea, encompassing various facets of combat operations, including live weapon firings.
- Benefits:
- Provides an opportunity to test the combat readiness of the combined Fleets of the Indian Navy to operate in a multi-threat environment.
- Facilitates operational level interaction with the Indian Army, Indian Air Force, and the Coast Guard, which will further strengthen interoperability and joint operations in a complex environment.
.png)
