Indian Navy at Exercise Cutlass Express 2024

The Indian Navy recently took part in a major maritime exercise called Exercise Cutlass Express – 24 (CE-24). This exercise was held in Port Victoria, Seychelles from 26 February to 08 March 2024.

India’s Participation

The Indian Navy was represented by the ship INS Tir, which is the lead ship of the First Training Squadron. INS Tir was led by Senior Officer, First Training Squadron, Capt Anshul Kishore.

The exercise was inaugurated by the President of Seychelles, Wavel Ramkalawan, in the presence of dignitaries from India, USA, and African countries.

About Exercise Cutlass Express

Exercise Cutlass Express is a multinational maritime exercise sponsored by the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) and led by U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. Sixth Fleet.

The main goal of this exercise is to promote maritime security and cooperation in the strategic waters of the East African coast and the Western Indian Ocean.

The exercise brings together navies from friendly countries in East Africa, the West Indian Ocean region, Europe, North America, and several international organizations. It aims to increase interoperability (ability to work together) among participating nations.

Exercise Objectives

Exercise Cutlass Express is designed to:

1. Strengthen maritime domain awareness (understanding of maritime activities)
2. Counter illicit maritime activities (illegal activities at sea)
3. Promote adherence to the rule of law (following maritime laws)

The exercise tests the participating countries’ naval forces’ capabilities in areas such as:

• Maritime interdiction (stopping and boarding ships)
• Information sharing
• Visit, boarding, search and seizure of ships
• Counter-illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing procedures
• Enhancing Women, Peace, and Security initiatives

India’s Participation in CE-24

The Indian Navy has been participating in Exercise Cutlass Express since 2019. This year, navies from 16 countries took part in the exercise.

The exercise culminated with a closing ceremony held at Seychelles Defence Academy, Ile Perseverance on 08 March 2024.

Before the exercise, INS Tir undertook joint surveillance of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of Seychelles with the Seychelles Coast Guard from 01 – 03 March 2024.

There were also professional exchanges, cross-deck visits, and friendly sports fixtures held with the Seychelles Defence Forces.

Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)

The Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is an area of the ocean extending up to 200 nautical miles (370 Km) from a country’s land coast. The country has the exclusive right for exploration and exploitation of the natural resources in this area.

EEZs are different from a country’s territorial waters, which extend up to 12 nautical miles (22 km) from the coast. Territorial waters are considered the sea boundary of a country.

Republic of Seychelles

The Republic of Seychelles is an island country situated in the western Indian Ocean. It is an African country comprising around 115 islands with a large Indian population.

• Capital: Victoria
• President: Wavel Ramkalawan
• Currency: Seychelles Rupee

The Indian Navy’s participation in Exercise Cutlass Express 2024 strengthens its cooperation with friendly nations and enhances its capabilities in maritime security operations.