Russia, India Finish Antisubmarine Stage of Joint Indra Navy Drills

Russian and Indian warships practiced anti-submarine warfare in the Bay of Bengal.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The Indian Special Forces and the Russian Navy have completed the anti-submarine warfare (ASW) stage of the joint Russian-Indian Indra Navy 2016 drills, spokesman for the Russian Defense Ministry's Eastern Military District Vladimir Matveev said Wednesday.

“During the second day of the active phase of naval drills Indra Navy 2016, Russian and Indian warships practiced elements of ASW activities in the sea,” Matveev told reporters.

In the course of the drills, the participants fired reactive depth charges at a simulated enemy submarine in the Bay of Bengal, according to the spokesman.

The Indra Navy 2016 drills will be concluded later on Wednesday. The official ceremony and debriefing will take place on board of Indian INS Satpura frigate.

The drills are being held in the Bay of Bengal since December 14. This year, some 500 servicemen are engaged in the drills, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.

The first joint Russian-Indian naval drills were held in 2003. The exercises were also held in 2007, 2014 and 2015.

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