What is Indian Navy's P-8I aircraft doing Down Under?

India and Australia will conduct submarine and surface surveillance activities to enhance maritime domain awareness.

Image: Indian Navy's Maritime Patrol Aircraft (P-8I) in Darwin to conduct coordinated patrols with a RAAF P-8A Poseidon

Indian Navy's long-range maritime patrol aircraft P-8I will participate with the Australian Air Force's own P-8A aircraft at Darwin in coordinated naval operations in anti-submarine warfare and surface surveillance. The exercise is aimed at enhancing maritime domain awareness.

During its stay in Australia, the Indian Navy's maritime patrol squadron, Albatross (INAS 312) is scheduled to engage with its counterparts from the 92 Wing of the Royal Australian Air Force. 

In recent times, increased interaction between the two maritime nations, through bilateral and multilateral exercises at sea, has enhanced inter-operability and fostered bridges of friendship, Indian Navy spokesman Commander Vivek Madhwal said. 

The P8 aircraft, with their demonstrated long reach, have operated jointly during the Malabar and AUSINDEX series of exercises, and have a common understanding of operating procedures and information sharing.

New Delhi and Canberra share strategic interests, promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific and rules-based order amidst Chinese belligerent behaviour in the region.

Upon the arrival of the Indian Navy's P-8I at Darwin, Australian High Commissioner to India Barry O' Farrell AO in a tweet said, "Australia-India Defence collaboration in action! Australia welcomes India Navy's P8I to Darwin as we continue to build habits-of-cooperation & complexity into our bilateral defence relationship." 

"This deployment reflects the enduring nature of the India-Australia security partnership," the Australian Royal Air Force said. 

The P-8I aircraft is usually deployed for anti-surface warfare (ASuW), long-range anti-submarine warfare (ASW), and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions. The multi-mission aircraft, which is equipped with state-of-the-art sensors and weapons systems that allow it to operate at over 41,000 feet, had also participated in exercise Sea Dragon held in January this year at Guam in the western pacific.

The Indian Navy inducted the Boeing-made P-8I replacing its ageing Soviet-era Tupolev Tu-142.