Germany began its first ever naval exercise with India in the Arabian Sea on 8 April in a bid to improve defence and strategic ties with India and gain greater access to one of the world's largest markets for military equipment. The three-day passage exercise and replenishment-at-sea (RAS) manoeuvres followed on from the 2006 Indo-German Defence Co-operation Agreement.

More than 700 German Task Force (GTF) personnel were involved aboard the air defence ship FGS Hamburg, the frigate FGS Koeln and the replenishment tanker FGS Berlin. The Indian Navy (IN) fielded training ships INS Tir and INS Krishna and a complement of shore-based anti-submarine warfare helicopters.

German Task Force Commander Captain Michael Budde said: "Seamanship, RAS, exchange of ship personnel and flying exercises will be held in the sea off Kochi. More advanced manoeuvres like surface and submarine warfare will be held further northwards." The two navies plan to conduct similar exercises regularly, he added.

Germany's ambassador to India, Bernd Mutzelburg, said his country was looking forward to forging a strategic partnership with India and to transferring high-tech weaponry to the Indian armed forces to help with their modernisation.