On Tuesday, March 12, the joint naval exercises of Russia, Iran and China “Maritime Security Belt - 2024” started, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported.

The maneuvers are taking place in the waters of the Gulf of Oman in the Arabian Sea, the department specified.

“A detachment of warships of the Pacific Fleet, consisting of the guards missile cruiser Varyag and the frigate Marshal Shaposhnikov, began practicing the practical tasks of the joint international naval exercise “Maritime Security Belt - 2024” with ships of the Iranian and Chinese navies,” the message says. .

The main goal of joint training is to practice ensuring the safety of maritime economic activities, the Russian defense department said.

“During the exercises, warships of the three countries will perform joint maneuvers and fire at surface and air targets, and will also practice elements of freeing a ship captured by pirates,” the Russian Ministry of Defense said.

More than 20 ships, support vessels and combat boats from the armies of three countries, as well as naval aviation helicopters, are involved in the maneuvers.

Earlier, the Russian defense department clarified that, in addition to the Varyag missile cruiser and the modernized Marshal Shaposhnikov, two warships and a Chinese Navy supply vessel, as well as more than ten ships, boats, support vessels and three Iranian Navy helicopters will take part in the exercises .

For the first time, representatives of the navies of Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Oman, India and South Africa will act as observers in the exercises.

History of maneuvers

Let us remind you that the international naval exercises “Maritime Security Belt” are being held for the sixth time.

For the first time, such maneuvers took place in the Arabian Sea in 2018.

Every year, warships from Russia, Iran and China participate in training on an ongoing basis.

In 2023, the frigate Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Gorshkov, the world’s first full-time carrier of hypersonic missile weapons, was involved in the exercises, which took place from March 15 to 17 in the area of ​​the Iranian port of Chahbehar.

  • Guards missile cruiser "Varyag"

  • © Ildus Gilyazutdinov

As reported by the press service of the Northern Fleet of the Russian Navy, the participants practiced the formation of an interethnic detachment of warships, joint tactical maneuvering in various formations and combat orders.

A detachment of Russian ships was involved: in addition to the frigate “Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Gorshkov”, it also included the medium sea tanker “Kama”.

China provided the Chinese Navy destroyer Nanjing for the exercises.

The Iranian Navy deployed the frigates Sahand and Jamaran, the corvette Bayandor, the missile boat Tondar, the small missile ship Zerekh, the supply ship Sirjan, the transport ship Shahid Nazeri, as well as other ships and vessels.

The naval stage of the exercises involved artillery firing both during the day and at night, as well as training to free a captured ship and provide assistance to a ship that, according to the exercise scenario, is in distress at sea.

“They will help secure the region”

As Vasily Kashin, director of the Center for Comprehensive European and International Studies at the National Research University Higher School of Economics, noted in an interview with RT, the joint exercises of Russia, Iran and China “Maritime Security Belt 2024” are designed to demonstrate a high level of interaction between the parties in the military sphere.

“Russia and China show a high level of their partnership with Iran, as well as the fact that they can be present in a region that is far from common borders and influence the situation there.

At the same time, these maneuvers demonstrate that the Russian Federation and China are ready to support the Iranian side, including in ensuring the security of its maritime communications against the backdrop of the unstable situation in the region.

Let me remind you that China receives a significant share of its oil imports from Iran, and for Russia the Islamic Republic is a very important economic partner,” Kashin explained in a commentary to RT.

According to him, the joint naval group of the three countries solves “specific military problems,” in particular in the exchange of experience.

“The Russian fleet has such combat capabilities, the specifics of which would be useful for partner countries to become familiar with.

In addition, the Russian Navy has experience that will certainly be useful to the military of Iran and China.

The Iranian side also has many interesting developments,” the analyst said.

Kashin explained the need for training by saying that the region in which the maneuvers take place “becomes a point of tension.”

“Russia, Iran and China are concerned about the actions of the West, which could negatively affect maritime trade in this region.

The main task is to ensure the safety of maritime trade.

Russia, after the introduction of Western sanctions, is creating its own fleet of tankers, and this process requires ensuring an acceptable level of security in the region.

As for Iran, it periodically faces acts of piracy when Iranian merchant ships are hijacked and their cargo is resold.

Tehran, for its part, has to take active response measures, including participating in joint exercises with the Russian Federation and China,” the expert noted.

  • Iranian sailors on the destroyer Deilaman

  • AP

  • © Iranian Army

The security of its maritime communications is also important for China, Kashin noted.

“This is a pressing issue for Beijing, since China imports a large amount of oil via sea routes.

And if Russia sent ships from the Pacific Fleet, then the Chinese side, apparently, uses its ships, which are constantly present in the Arabian Sea as part of operations to patrol problem areas near the Horn of Africa.

Therefore, all three countries have a common interest in conducting joint exercises that will help secure the region,” the expert explained.

Kashin explained the presence of foreign observers at the maneuvers as important for the three countries to show “a certain level of trust” on the part of other states.

“The presence of India is especially important, as it always closely monitors any activity of the Chinese fleet.

The Indian authorities need to see that everything that happens is not directed against them.

Likewise, I think it is important for Iran to maintain a relationship of maximum transparency and trust in these matters with Pakistan.

The invitation of Azerbaijan is due to the fact that this country, although it does not have access to the ocean, is of great importance within the geopolitics of the region.

South Africa is a member of BRICS and a country that conducts a certain amount of trade across the ocean,” the analyst explained.

In turn, reserve lieutenant colonel Oleg Shalandin believes that the exercises will primarily test the coordination of actions and the control system of disparate forces.

“Practical measures as part of the training are aimed at reflecting provocations that may arise in the field of navigation safety.

The exercises act as one of the ways to counter such challenges,” the expert noted in an interview with RT.

Ensuring the safety of navigation in the region today is a particularly pressing problem due to the actions of the Yemeni Houthis directed against the operation of the Israeli army in the Gaza Strip - civilian navigation in the region is under threat, analysts note.

“The forces of the Russian Federation, Iran and China will certainly monitor the US aircraft carrier strike group in the Persian Gulf in order to reduce the risks of the Arab-Israeli conflict escalating into a major war,” Shalandin said.

The expert is confident that the Maritime Security Belt 2024 exercises are consistent with the long-term strategic objectives of Russia, Iran and China, and will also help to positively influence the geopolitical situation in the region.

“These three countries are creating a security system in the region by conducting this type of exercise, pursuing both national interests and common goals.

This is, first of all, ensuring security on maritime communications, as well as reducing the activity of the US group, which will be afraid to get involved in the Arab-Israeli conflict with any specific military measures, knowing that Russia, Iran and China occupy stable positions in the region,” concluded Shalandin .