According to information published by the Indian government on September 20, 2022, the sixth edition of the Japan India Maritime Exercise 2022, JIMEX 22 hosted by the Indian Navy concluded in the Bay of Bengal with the two sides bidding farewell to each other with a customary steam past.
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Japanese JS Izumo and Indian Rajput class destroyer INS Ranvijay (Picture source: Indian government)
Indian Naval ships led by Rear Adm Sanjay Bhalla, Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet, and Japan Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) Ships Izumo and Takanami led by Rear Adm Hirata Toshiyuki, Commander Escort Flotilla Four, participated in the week-long exercise.
JIMEX 22 witnessed some of the most complex exercises undertaken jointly by the two navies. Both sides engaged in advanced level anti-submarine warfare, weapon firings, and Air Defence exercises.
Shipborne helicopters, fighter aircraft, and submarines also participated in the exercise. IN and JMSDF ships replenished each other at sea under the agreement on Reciprocal Provision for Supply and Services (RPSS).
The exercise, which marked the tenth anniversary of JIMEX since its inception in 2012, consolidated the mutual understanding and interoperability between the two navies.
About the destroyer INS Ranvijay
INS Ranvijay is a Rajput-class destroyer in active service with the Indian Navy. Ranvijay was commissioned on 15 Jan 1988.
The Rajput-class guided-missile destroyers built for the Indian Navy are modified versions of Soviet Kashin-class destroyers. They are also known as Kashin-II class.
The ships were built in the former Soviet Union after considerable Indian design modifications to the Kashin design. These included the replacement of the helicopter pad in the original design with a flight elevator, as well as major changes to the electronics and combat systems. Five units were built for export to India in the 1980s. All units are currently attached to the Eastern Naval Command.
The INS Ranvija is armed with 8 Brahmos supersonic anti-ship missiles in aft VLS (Vertical Launching System) and four SS-N-2D Styx AShM anti-ship missiles in inclined launchers.
Other armament includes Barak SAM 8 air defense cell launchers, S-125M (NATO: SA-N-1) SAM launcher, 76.2mm naval gun, AK-63M 30mm Close-In Weapon Systems, 533mm torpedo launcher, and RBU-6000 anti-submarine mortars.
