HMS Queen Elizabeth will lead military exercises in Asia
THE UK’S Carrier Strike Group (CSG), led by aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth, will sail to India where it will conduct joint exercises with the country’s military in the Indian Ocean later this year, Britain said on Monday (26).
The £3-billion HMS Queen Elizabeth – the largest ship ever built by the Royal Navy – will sail to India, Japan, South Korea, Singapore on its maiden voyage as a representation of the “Indo-Pacific tilt” in the UK’s foreign policy.
The CSG consists of Royal Air Force F35B stealth fighter jets on board and is also accompanied by Royal Navy ships, a submarine armed with Tomahawk cruise missiles, naval helicopters and a company of the elite Royal Marines.
“The UK and India are natural defence partners, particularly in research, development and training. The Carrier Strike Group’s collaboration with India will build the foundations for this relationship to flourish even further,” defence secretary Ben Wallace said.
“The deployment is a symbol of Global Britain in action, and powerfully demonstrates our commitment to India, the IndoPacific region, and confronting threats to international order,” he added.
The carrier will visit west coast ports where it will engage in events to promote bilateral ties. The ship will conduct a series of joint exercises with Indian military forces in the Indian Ocean, with a goal to enhance capabilities to defend against “shared threats” and protect “democratic values”.
The British High Commission in New Delhi said throughout the deployment, the UK will support freedom of passage through vital global trading routes. “It will also help to establish a maritime partnership with India to support our mutual security objectives in the Indian Ocean,” it added.