After US, now UK warships to get serviced at Indian dockyards

The UK Navy's warships will undergo maintenance and repair at Indian dockyards following a similar arrangement with US warships. This announcement coincided with Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's visit to London to enhance bilateral defence ties, marking the first such visit in 22 years.

After the United States warships, the UK Navy’s ships will also be docked at Indian dockyards for maintenance and repair. "The maintenance and repair works of the UK Navy warships will be carried out just after the conclusion of its exercise with the Indian Navy this year," sources said. In August 2022, for the first time, the US Navy ship Charles Drew was docked at Chennai for repair and allied services in while its second ship USNS Matthew Perry arrived in March 2023.

In 2023, the Royal Air Force (RAF) aircraft undertook refuelling twice at the Indian air bases. The fighters included the four Typhoons and one Voyager making.

On Wednesday, the British High Commission (BHC) informed that the UK's high-readiness Littoral Response Group will come to the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) in 2024 and the Carrier Strike Group in 2025 for joint training with the Indian Navy. 

"Deployment of the UK’s most advanced naval capabilities marks a decisive step in bolstering UK-India security ties," the high commission said.

The announcement was made when Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was in London to further the bilateral defence ties. He was the first defence minister to visit the UK in 22 years. The last time the Indian defence minister visited the UK was George Fernandes in 2002.

"These steps build on the comprehensive strategic partnership envisaged in the 2030 India-UK roadmap, announced in 2021," the high commission added.

It must be noted that the two countries have been negotiating a Free Trade Agreement since 2022. In May 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his then counterpart Boris Johnson adopted an ambitious ‘Roadmap 2030’ to elevate bilateral ties to a 'Comprehensive Strategic Partnership'.