What are Salvage Exercises (SALVEX) of Indian Navy?

The maiden IN-USN SALVEX was conducted in 2005 and the SALVEX series of exercises have been conducted annually thereafter alternately in India and US Pacific locations. Interestingly in the first SALVEX a vintage Sea Hawk fighter aircraft was recovered from a depth of about 50 metres off Kochi. IN Salvage teams have also recovered a Seaking helicopter from a depth of 70 metres in the past. Indian Navy’s Divers had commenced the exercises with US Navy divers in a Joint Salvage Exercise off Port Blair in the Andaman Sea from 05 to 12 Jan 2011. INS Nireekshak, the diving tender of the Indian Navy and USS Safeguard, a specialized Salvage ship were the ships participating in the exercise. INS Nireekshak is the Indian Navy’s specialist diving support ship with the capacity to support dives upto 300 metres depth. ‘