Eastern Bridge Army Exercise Between Oman and India

From February 21 to 25, 2022, the Indian Air Force and the Royal Air Force of Oman will conduct an Eastern Bridge-VI bilateral air exercise at Air Force Depot Jodhpur near Rajasthan. Eastern Bridge-VI is the exercise’s sixth season. The exercise will give the two Air Forces the chance to improve their operational capabilities and interoperability.

Oman is India’s closest security partner in the Gulf area and a key anchor for India’s defence and strategic objectives. Oman is located near the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz, which accounts for one-fifth of India’s oil imports. 

What is Exercise Eastern Bridge?

According to the Ministry of Defense, the Indo-Oman operation Eastern Bridge-VI (2022) was effectively held at Air Force Station Jodhpur between February 21 to February 25, 2022. RAFO and lAF took part in the exercise, designed to give operational awareness and mutual sharing of best practices to improve both Air Forces’ operational capacity, as per the ministry.

According to the ministry, senior personnel from both sides attended Air Force Station Jodhpur throughout this exercise, including the Director-General Operations of the RAFO and the Senior Air Staff Officer of the IAF South Western Air Command.

According to the ministry, both sides addressed the future potential for cooperation. The exercise allowed for beneficial engagement between IAF and RAFO units through reciprocal sharing of expertise and operational knowledge. According to the government, it also created opportunities for cultural interactions between employees from both nations.

Participation in this exercise by the IAF and RAFO will foster professional engagement, sharing of experiences, and operational expertise and build bilateral ties between the two nations. Several prominent dignitaries are expected to visit Air Force Station Jodhpur during the exercise.

What is the importance of the India Oman Exercise Eastern Bridge?

The sixth version of the exercise will allow the two Air Forces to improve operational capabilities and interoperability. Furthermore, the involvement of the IAF with RAFO in this exercise will foster professional engagement, experience sharing, and operational knowledge development, as well as build bilateral ties between the two nations. During the five-day exercise, different IAF dignitaries will visit the air force base in Jodhpur.

It’s worth noting that the bilateral exercise involving India & Oman comes only a few weeks after Oman’s senior defence official, Mohammed Nasser Al Zaabi, paid a formal visit to India from January 30 to February 4. The senior also co-chaired a Joint Military Partnership Committee meeting, which allegedly kicked off a set of large defence engagements among the two nations.

The IAF’s contingent, MiG-29, Mirage 2000, and Jaguar aircraft, will participate in Exercise Eastern Bridge VI. Eastern Bridge V took place in Oman’s Air Force Base Masirah in October 2019. At the time, the IAF’s contingent consisted of MiG-29 plus C-17 aircraft. MIG-29 fighter aircraft took part in a global exercise for the first time outside of India.

Oman is one of India’s most powerful defence allies in the Gulf, and all three parties undertake bilateral meetings and exercises with Oman’s forces. Importantly, Oman also offers operational assistance to the Indian Navy inside the Arabian Sea. At the same time, India has accessibility to the Duqm port, which has bolstered India’s naval capacity and policy in the Indian Ocean zone.

List of Air Force Exercises of India 2022

The Indian Aviation Force (IAF) is the Indian Armed Forces’ air arm. It is the world’s fourth-largest air force regarding manpower and aircraft assets. Its main role is to secure Indian airspace and take over aerial combat in times of armed confrontation. On October 8, 1932, it became a legal entity.

The Indian Air Force has participated in international operational activities to enhance collaborative interactions. A global exercise with friendly troops provided a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for all participating forces to gather significant experience. The knowledge gathered, lessons learned, and friendships formed during all of the exercises will help to strengthen the participating troops’ professional skills.

List of Military Exercises of the Indian Air Force in 2022 Are Mentioned Below

Exercises in Defence Countries that will be taking part Located at

• ZAPAD 2021 Multilateral Ex Nizhniy, Russia
• Desert Knight-21   India France Air Force Station Jodhpur
• Konkan Shakti 2021 India- UK Mumbai
• Blue Flag Exercise Multinational Ex Israel
• Joint Maritime Exercises 2021 India- UK Bay of Bengal
• Joint Exercise in IOR India- US Mumbai
• PASCHIM LEHAR (XPL-2022) Domestic Ex  West Coast, India  
• Exercise Eastern Bridge-VI 2022 India &Oman Jodhpur
• TROPEX 21 Domestic Ex  IOR
• AMPHEX – 21 Domestic Ex  ANC, Bay of Bengal  

Conclusion

The participation of the IAF & RAFO in the drill will foster professional engagement, operational knowledge advancement, and experience sharing. It will also help to develop bilateral ties between the two nations. It will also serve as a forum for the two Air Forces to share best practices and work together. In 2019, the Eastern Bridge V took place at the Air Force Base Masirah in Oman.