In the video, the fighter plane lowers itself vertically before a touchdown

New Delhi:

An F-35B fifth generation fighter aircraft made a vertical landing on the British Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth in Arabian Sea near Mumbai.

The warship is in Indian waters for a joint exercise of Indian and UK forces.

A video tweeted by news agency ANI showed the fighter plane lowering itself vertically on the warship’s runaway before a touchdown.

#WATCH | F-35B fifth generation fighter aircraft lands vertically on the British Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth in Arabian Sea near Mumbai. Warship is in India for a joint exercise with Indian forces. pic.twitter.com/2PwkA9PTtL

— ANI (@ANI) October 21, 2021

Manufactured by Lockheed Martin, the F-35B fifth generation aircraft can conduct air-to-surface, electronic warfare, intelligence gathering and air-to-air missions simultaneously.

The UK’s Carrier Strike Group, led by HMS Queen Elizabeth, sailed into the Bay of Bengal last week. The British High Commission said the joint exercise is aimed at ensuring a free, open, inclusive and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.

The British High Commission tweeted “Namaste India” earlier in the day as the Carrier Strike Group entered Indian waters.   

Namaste 🙏 India 🇮🇳!

The UK’s 🇬🇧 Carrier Strike Group, led by @HMSQNLZ 🚢 is here! #CSG21pic.twitter.com/rcckass4Dj

— UK in India🇬🇧🇮🇳 (@UKinIndia) October 21, 2021

This comes after the UK-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership agreed upon by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his UK counterpart Boris Johnson in May.

British High Commissioner to India, Alex Ellis said, “India is an essential partner for the UK in the Indo-Pacific region. The Carrier Strike Group’s visit demonstrates the deepening of the UK and India’s defence and security partnership.”

“Prime Ministers Modi and Johnson agreed to work in lockstep for our shared security and prosperity. This visit will boost the cooperation of our armed forces and show the living bridge connecting our people,” he said.

The Carrier Strike Group will provide a platform for a wide range of cultural demonstrations and trade and investment initiatives, a statement said earlier, adding that it will take part in the most demanding exercise ever between the UK and India, incorporating elements from all three military services.

The Netherlands’ HNLMS Evertsen is also part of the Carrier Strike Group in this exercise.

Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to India, Nepal and Bhutan, Marten van den Berg has said, “The Indian Ocean is a gateway for Europe into the Indo-Pacific and The Netherlands definitely recognizes the increasing importance of the Indo-Pacific region and crucial role of India in this region. The visit to the port of Mumbai by HNLMS Evertsen is a confirmation of our long-standing strong relationship and a step towards enhancement of the Netherlands and India defence relations.”