NEW DELHI, March 19. /TASS/. India and Russia will conduct the Indra Navy joint naval drills in late March - early April, the Russian Embassy in New Delhi told TASS.
"We will conduct Russian-Indian Indra Navy drills, during which objectives on joint maneuvering, assisting a vessel in distress, and inspection operations will be carried out," the Russian Embassy said.
Conducting the maneuvers "will serve the purpose of strengthening the friendship between Russia’s Navy and the Navy of the Republic of India within the special exclusive strategic partnership between our countries," the embassy emphasized.
Following the fourth session of the working group on military cooperation within the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military & Military Technical Cooperation (IRIGC-M&MTC) in November last year, the Indian Defense Ministry said that the two countries would expand cooperation in defense, including conducting joint exercises. The defense ministry of the South Asian republic highlighted the "importance of the continuous exchange of expertise and cooperation in fields of strategic interest." The Indian defense agency also noted that the two nations had already previously conducted numerous joint ground, air, and naval drills, and exercises like Indra, Avia Indra, and Indra Navy have served as important platforms for exchanging advanced expertise, improving joint operational tactical maneuvers and procedures, as well as deepening mutual understanding.