Maritime Security Belt,[a] also known with the portmanteau CHIRU, is a trilateral naval exercise involving China, Iran and Russia as partners. First held in 2019, it is set to be taken place annually.
History
edit2019
editThe first edition of the exercise[b] began on 27 December 2019 and took four days. The area of operation was the northern part of the Indian Ocean.[1][2]
The units participating in the exercise included:[3]
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2020
The 2020 edition was canceled due to the pandemic of the COVID-19 virus
2021
editChina was absent in the second version of the exercise when it was started by Russia and Iran on 16 February 2021. It was later announced that the Indian and Chinese navies will also join, but eventually neither took part. On 18 February 2021, the official website of the Indian Navy issued a statement denying participation in the drill.[4] Turkish state-run Anadolu Agency reported that the Indian Navy had cancelled the plan at the last minute, because Tehran said China could join the exercise too and Indians did not want to be together with the Chinese due to recent border skirmishes.[5]
The units participating in the exercise included:[6]
2022
editThe third version of the exercise was held from 18 January 2022, with a sea phase starting on Friday the 21st[7] over an area of 17,000 square kilometres (6,560 square miles) in the northern Indian Ocean. It included a range of tactical exercises like putting out fires on burning vessels, releasing a hijacked vessel, and shooting at air targets at night.[8][9]
The units participating in the exercise included:[10]
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2023
editThe fourth edition of the exercise was held from March 15 for 4 days in the northern Indian Ocean.[11]
The units participating in the exercise included:
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2024
editThe 2024 edition of the exercise was held from 11 March 2024, with a sea phase between 12–14 March in the Gulf of Oman, and then a shore phase.[12] For the first time there were observers from other countries present (Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Oman, India and South Africa).[12]
The units participating in the exercise included:[12]
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2025
editThe 2025 edition of the exercise was held in March 2025, with a sea phase from Monday the 10th March in the Gulf of Oman.[13] Azerbaijan, South Africa, Oman, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Qatar, Iraq, the UAE, and Sri Lanka have sent observers to the drills.[13]
The units participating in the exercise included:[13]
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2026
editThe 2026 edition took place in second part of February 2026, in a view of an international tension and US deployment in the Gulf,[14] prior to Israeli-US aggression against Iran.
The units participating in the exercise included:
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See also
editNotes
editReferences
edit
- ↑ "Report: Iran kicks off joint naval drills with Russia, China", The Associated Press, 27 December 2019, retrieved 15 July 2020
- ↑ "Russia, China, Iran start joint naval drills in Indian Ocean", Reuters, 27 December 2019, retrieved 15 July 2020
- ↑ Haider, Syed Fazl-e (17 January 2020), "The Strategic Implications of Chinese-Iranian-Russian Naval Drills in the Indian Ocean", China Brief, 20 (1), Jamestown Foundation, retrieved 15 July 2020
- ↑ Motamedi, Maziar (18 February 2021), Iran, Russia conduct joint naval drill in Indian Ocean, Al Jazeera, retrieved 21 January 2022
- ↑ Mehdi, Syed Zafar (20 February 2022), Why India skipped Iran-Russia drill at last minute, Anadolu Agency, retrieved 21 January 2022
- ↑ Russian, Iranian naval forces complete joint drills, Naval News, 18 February 2021, retrieved 21 January 2022
- 1 2 Dzirhan Mahadzir (21 January 2022), Russian Navy Announces More Major Fleet Exercises as Drills End with China, Iran, USNI News, retrieved 31 March 2026
- ↑ Russia to flex muscles with navy drills involving all its fleets, Al Jazeera, 21 January 2022, retrieved 21 January 2022
- ↑ Iran, China and Russia hold naval drills in north Indian Ocean, Reuters, 21 January 2022, retrieved 21 January 2022
- ↑ Mahadzir, Dzirhan (21 January 2022), Russian Navy Announces More Major Fleet Exercises as Drills End with China, Iran, USNI News, retrieved 21 January 2022
- ↑ "China, Russia, Iran conduct four-day naval exercises". Reuters.
- 1 2 3 Dzirhan Mahadzir (14 March 2024), Russia, China and Iran Finish Drills in Gulf of Oman, USNI News, retrieved 31 March 2026
- 1 2 3 Dzirhan Mahadzir (12 March 2025), Russia, China and Iranian Warships Drilling Together in Gulf of Oman, USNI News, retrieved 31 March 2026
- 1 2 3 Russia, China, Iran Launch “Maritime Security Belt 2026” Naval Drills in Strait of Hormuz as US Deploys Dual Carrier Strike Groups, Defence Security Asia, 17 February 2026, retrieved 31 March 2026