Indian, Japanese navies kick off 6-day wargame from Visakhapatnam

The Indian and Japanese navies on Wednesday kicked off a six-day wargame off Visakhapatnam to further expand their overall military cooperation.

The Indian Navy is hosting the seventh edition of the Japan-India Maritime Exercise (JIMEX) and this edition marks the 11th anniversary of wargame since its inception in 2012.

The Indian Navy has deployed India's first indigenously built guided missile destroyer INS Delhi, indigenously built anti-submarine warfare corvette INS Kamorta, fleet tanker INS Shakti, a submarine, maritime patrol aircraft P8I and ship-borne helicopters and fighter aircraft for the exercise, officials said.

The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) is represented by the guided missile destroyer JS Samidare and its integral helicopters.

The exercise will be conducted over six days in two phases -- a harbour phase that will be followed by warfighting skills at sea.

"The JIMEX 23 provides an opportunity to learn from each other's best practices and facilitates operational interactions between Indian Navy and JMSDF to foster mutual cooperation and reaffirm their shared commitment towards maritime security in the region," an Indian Navy spokesperson said.