By IRNA,
New Delhi : Russia’s most potent nuclear-powered heavy missile cruiser ‘Pyotr Veliky’ will take part in the joint naval wargames with the Indian Navy in January, during which they will train on how to destroy aircraft carriers.
This will be the second time that ‘Pyotr Veliky’ (Peter the Great), known as the ‘Killer of Aircraft Carriers’ will be in warmer waters of the Indian Ocean for large-scale exercises with the Indian Navy.
Besides naval warfare tactics, the two navies will also carry out joint maneuvers aimed at curbing sea piracy, sea terrorism and anti- submarine warfare, Indian official media reported.
‘Pyotr Veliky’, leading the task force of Russian North Fleet, will join the warships of Pacific Fleet in the Indian Ocean after wargames with Venezuelan Navy in Caribbean Sea.
It will cross the Atlantic and traverse the Cape of Good Hope on the southern tip of Africa for the ‘INDRA-2009’ wargames with the Indian Navy.
This is the fourth such exercise since 2003 under the inter- services cooperation agreement between the two countries.
New Delhi and Moscow held complex wargames in the sea of Japan last year.
Although combating piracy and terrorists on the high seas have been declared the main aim of the INDRA-series naval wargames, it is the first such exercise the Russian and Indian navies had practiced in the destruction of an ‘enemy’ aircraft carrier and anti-submarine warfare which are indispensable part of the joint drills conducted every alternate year.