Naval Exercise

Initiated in 1993, the exercise was christened 'Varuna' in 2001 and has become "a hallmark of IndiaFrance strategic bilateral relationship"

The Sri Lankan Navy welcomed the Indian naval ship INS Delhi, which arrived in the north-eastern port city of Trincomalee on Sunday, with 390 crew members on board on a two-day official visit. The INS Delhi is 163.2 metre-long, and is the lead ship of her class of guided-missile destroyers of the Indian Navy. It comes days ahead of External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar's visit to the island nation, scheduled between January 19 to 20. During the ship's two-day stay, the crew will participate in numerous programmes organised by the Sri Lanka Navy, with a view to promoting cooperation and goodwill between the navies of both the countries. Such naval exercises enable both countries to overcome common maritime challenges, through enhanced cooperation.

The series of pipeline explosions have yet to be definitively proved as sabotage or attributed to any nation, but most analysts believe that the likely culprit is Russia.

The Solomon Islands on Wednesday asked countries to not send naval vessels to the South Pacific nation until approval processes are overhauled, amid concerns over a new security pact between the Solomons and China. The government made the request after the US Coast Guard cutter Oliver Henry and the British navy patrol boat HMS Spey cancelled planned port calls last week due to bureaucratic delays. The United States and Britain are among countries concerned that a new security pact with Beijing could lead to a Chinese naval base being constructed less than 2,000 kilometres (1,200 miles) off Australia's northeast coast. Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare said the Oliver Henry crew had failed to provide required information in time for his office to approve the visit. The Oliver Henry refuelled at Papua New Guinea instead. The HMS Spey withdrew its application to visit, Sogavare said. The delay in these approvals demonstrate the need for the government to review and refine its approval

Commodore JS Dhanoa has taken over as the Commanding Officer of the Indian Naval Ship Valsura, a premier electrical training establishment of the Indian Navy at Jamnagar in Gujarat, officials said

India and Indonesia began a three-day mega naval wargame on Monday in the Sunda Strait, in reflection of their growing maritime cooperation

The second phase of the high-voltage Malabar exercise featuring the navies of all four Quad countries is scheduled to take place in the Bay of Bengal from October 11 to 14

India and Australia on Monday began a five-day mega naval wargame with an aim to strengthen joint capabilities in support of a stable and secure Indo-Pacific region.

India and three other Quad member nations on Monday joined France in kick-starting a three-day naval wargame in the eastern Indian Ocean in reflection of their growing maritime cooperation

The US Navy said Sunday it will hold a major naval exercise alongside Belgium, France and Japan in the Mideast amid tensions over Iran's nuclear programme in the region

India's envoy in Sri Lanka has underlined the importance of close cooperation between the navies of the two countries as an essential part of the overall bilateral engagement

"Two Turkish Air Force F-16s and one US maritime patrol aircraft also participated in the maritime exercise," it said

The exercise will kick off with a 'harbour phase' from February 11-14, followed by a 'sea phase' on February 15-16.

The four-nation naval exercise will be held later this year

The exercise comes in the midst of India''s tense border row with China and in the backdrop of growing activities by the Chinese navy in the Indian Ocean Region

This is the first time that the prestigious Malabar exercise is being conducted off Guam, a major US Naval Base in the Western Pacific

Joint exercises with the US and Japan are held every year in the West Pacific or Indian Ocean

Navy officials say that China has deployed at least 6 submarines in Indian Ocean since 2013