Exercise Konkan 2026: India and UK Naval Exercise

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Key takeaways

The Indian Navy warship INS Trishul arrived at Plymouth, United Kingdom, to participate in KONKAN-26.
This annual bilateral maritime exercise between the Indian Navy and the British Royal Navy was institutionalized in 2004.
The deployment follows Exercise VARUNA-24 with the French Navy at Toulon, France.

The Indian Navy warship INS Trishul reached Plymouth, United Kingdom, to take part in KONKAN-26 with the UK Royal Navy.

This is a yearly joint maritime drill between the Indian Navy and the British Royal Navy that started in 2004 to improve teamwork and tactical skills.
The United Kingdom is hosting this edition near the coast of Plymouth, England.
The Indian Navy and the Royal Navy are the participating forces.
The main goal is to build better teamwork, share smart working methods across different war scenarios, and keep the seas open and safe based on global rules.

The exercise has a Harbour Phase at Plymouth with expert talks, ship visits, and briefings, followed by a busy Sea Phase near the southern coast of the UK.
It includes coordinated tactical drills covering three combat zones: air, surface, and sub-surface.
It features advanced aviation tasks like helicopter landings on different ships and complex flight operations.
It includes real firing practice, air defence drills against fake threats, anti-submarine tracking, and seamanship tasks.
This visit is part of the long journey of INS Trishul to Europe, which also included Exercise VARUNA-24 with the French Navy at Toulon and a stop at Valencia, Spain.

It builds up the India-UK Vision 2035 by growing defence ties and naval teamwork under their strategic partnership.
It proves the Indian Navy can operate far from home, work with NATO allies, and protect key trade shipping routes.