India and Pakistan to stage separate naval drills – media

The independent exercises will be conducted in the Arabian Sea this week

The Indian and Pakistani navies will conduct separate naval exercises in the Arabian Sea on August 11–12, news agency ANI reported on Sunday. 

Both nations have issued airspace restriction notifications over their respective maritime zones for the drills, which will happen at around the same time, the report added, quoting Indian defense sources.

”Indian Navy warships will be carrying out exercises in the Arabian Sea on August 11–12. Pakistan Navy has also issued its own NOTAM for similar drills,” a defense source was quoted as saying by the media outlet.

The Indian Navy will carry out its maritime exercises off the coasts of Porbandar and Okha in Gujarat, according to Indian media reports. The Arabian Sea is vital for maritime trade routes and a key focal point for regional security.

The exercises come three months after the South Asian neighbors engaged in a four-day military confrontation. Neither nation used their navy in the conflict, which ended with a ceasefire on May 10.

Last month, the Indian Air Force (IAF) held large-scale military exercises along the India-Pakistan border. 

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The drills featured key fighter squadrons with frontline jets, including the Sukhoi Su-30, Rafale, and Mirage 2000, as well as air defense systems and critical support infrastructure, according to media reports.

On Saturday, IAF Chief Amar Preet Singh said the Indian armed forces shot down five Pakistani jets and one airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft during the conflict with Pakistan in May. In a speech, he credited the Russian-made S-400 surface-to-air missile system for the hits.

”We have at least five fighters confirmed killed and one large aircraft, which could be an ELINT aircraft or an AEW&C aircraft, which was taken out from a distance of about 300km, which is the largest-ever recorded surface-to-air kill that we can talk about,” Singh said.