The La Perouse naval exercise is a significant multinational event hosted by France. Conducted near the strategic maritime routes of the Malacca, Sunda, and Lombok Straits, this exercise brings together the naval forces of nine countries. Its primary aim is to promote maritime security, enhance interoperability, and fortify the rules-based international order in the maritime domain.
The exercise is designed to boost maritime situational awareness and foster coordination in various operations such as maritime surveillance, interdiction, air operations, and crisis response. It also develops collective capabilities to combat illicit activities, environmental hazards, and natural risks prevalent in critical trade routes.
India plays a crucial role in the La Perouse exercise by deploying its guided-missile destroyer, INS Mumbai. This participation underscores India's commitment to maritime safety and international cooperation.
La Perouse involves a range of complex multi-domain operations. These include surface warfare, anti-air warfare, air defense, tactical maneuvers, cross-deck landings, and Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure (VBSS) missions. The exercise also provides advanced training for handling various maritime crises.
Besides India and France, the exercise sees participation from the US, Australia, Canada, Malaysia, the UK, Singapore, and Indonesia. Indonesia provides essential base support for the French Carrier Strike Group’s Atlantique 2 maritime patrol aircraft.
La Perouse tackles challenges such as maritime accidents, illegal immigration, drug trafficking, and natural disasters like tsunamis. It focuses on improving the interception of ships suspected of illegal activities, ensuring maritime safety across vital trade routes.
The Malacca, Sunda, and Lombok Straits are critical chokepoints for global maritime trade. These straits are vulnerable to both human-induced and natural risks, making their security essential for uninterrupted international commerce and regional stability.
The French Carrier Strike Group, led by the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles De Gaulle, spearheads the exercise. It symbolizes France's strategic commitment to enhancing maritime cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.
Several notable vessels participate in La Perouse, including the USS Savannah (US), HMAS Hobart (Australia), HMCS Ottawa (Canada), FFG Lekir and Gagah Samudera (Malaysia), HMS Spey (UK), and RSN Independence (Singapore).
The La Perouse exercise emphasizes the importance of collective efforts among like-minded navies to maintain a secure and stable maritime environment. It highlights the necessity for joint planning, information sharing, and coordinated responses to maritime challenges.
Synopsis: India, alongside eight other nations, actively participates in the French-led La Perouse naval exercise in the Indo-Pacific region. With INS Mumbai as its representative, the exercise focuses on advanced maritime operations and collective action to secure global trade routes and address emerging threats in critical chokepoints like the Malacca, Sunda, and Lombok Straits.
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