Western Naval Command of the Indian Navy concluded a major operational exercise, conducted in the Arabian Sea. The nine-day Exercise Paschim Leher (XPL) tested the combat readiness of the Command at sea, including mobilization and operational synchronization.
A large number of ships, submarines and aircraft participated in the exercise. Various manoeuvres and deployments were exercised, in a networked environment, with a number of support units ashore also participating.
The exercise also saw participation of Indian Air Force, with a number of aircraft, and included units of the Indian Coast Guard. The scale of the exercise has been enhanced this year, and the exercise itself has been renamed as Exercise Paschim Leher. Proactive operations as well as defensive operations were exercised, including various contingencies off the coasts of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka.