The Indian Navy is set to conduct live firing drills starting from Saturday, May 3 to 7 in the Arabian Sea.
A live firing drill is a military exercise where Navy personnel use live ammunition in actual combat scenarios. Such exercises are held in order to examine combat readiness and test equipment.
Earlier on Saturday, Navy chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in an hour-long meeting and discussed operational preparedness and the ongoing operations including the drills in the Arabian Sea, sources told.
Over the past few days, the Navy has been extensively carrying out exercises in the Arabian Sea within its Exclusive Economic Zone, with warships on alert against any unusual activity.
On May 1, the Navy issued four green notifications for firing in a coastal area off the Gujarat coast, just 85 nautical miles from the region where Pakistan is currently conducting its naval drills in the Arabian Sea, according to sources.
Multiple anti-ship and anti-aircraft firings have been conducted in the region recently.
Indian Coast Guard vessels are also deployed in forward areas near the International Maritime Boundary off the Gujarat coast. The Navy is strengthening its presence across its entire area of responsibility in the region.
Indian forces have been conducting extensive exercises and drills as tensions rose between India and Pakistan after the Pahalgam terrorist attack, which claimed 26 civilian lives on April 22. The attack was claimed by Pakistani-backed terrorists.
Apart from announcing a diplomatic strike against Pakistan, the government has also vowed military action against the perpetrators and the masterminds of the Pahalgam attack, prompting armed forces on both sides to sound a high alert.
Fearing retaliation from India, Pakistan moved its air-radar and other military installations near its border with India.
As tensions continue to rise between the two neighbours, several countries across the world have urged them to exercise restraint, not escalate the matter further and find an amicable solution to the issue.
Source: India Today