Indian Naval Ship Mumbai To Participate In Multi-National Exercise La Perouse
Mission deployed in the South Eastern Ocean Region, the indigenously-built guided missile destroyer INS Mumbai arrived at Jakarta, Indonesia to participate in the fourth edition of the multinational exercise La Perouse.
Led by the French Carrier Strike Group (CSG) Charles De Gaulle, deployed in the Indo-Pacific as part of Mission Clemenceau 25, the fifth edition of La Perouse saw participation by nine Indo-Pacific nations. Australia came with its destroyer HMAS Hobart, Canada with its destroyer HMCS Ottawa, the United States with the LCS USS Savannah, Malaysia with destroyer FFG Lekir, its embarked helicopter and the vessel Gagah Samudera, the United Kingdom with the offshore patrol vessel HMS Spey and Singapore with the patrol vessel RSN Independence. Indonesia provided base support on land for the Atlantique 2 maritime patrol aircraft of French CSG.
Held in the Malacca, Sunda and Lombok straits, which are the mainstays of global maritime trade, are subject to numerous human-induced risks such as maritime accidents and environmental hazards, illegal immigration, drug trafficking, and natural risks like earthquakes and tsunamis, La Perouse aimed to develop common Maritime Situational Awareness by enhancing the cooperation in the field of maritime surveillance, maritime interdiction operations and air operations along with the conduct of progressive training and information sharing.
The exercise provided an opportunity for like-minded navies to develop closer links in planning, coordination and information sharing for enhanced tactical interoperability. The exercise witnessed complex and advanced multi-domain exercises including surface warfare, anti-air warfare, air-defence, cross deck landings and tactical manoeuvres, as also the constabulary missions such as VBSS (Visit, Board, Search and Seizure) operations. During this exercise, all navies trained in the use of IORIS, a communication and coordination system dedicated to the exchange of information, documents in order to effectively and collectively face a maritime crisis in a synchronized manner.
Participation of the Indian Navy in the exercise showcased the high levels of synergy, coordination and interoperability between the like-minded navies and their commitment to a rules-based international order in the maritime domain.