- Indian naval ships will join maritime patrol and other aircraft to participate in a Passage Exercise or PASSEX with the US Navy’s Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group during its transit through Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
- A passage exercise is normally undertaken whenever an opportunity arises, in contrast to pre-planned maritime drills.
- Earlier, the Indian Navy had also conducted similar PASSEXs with the Japanese Navy and the French Navy.
Important points:
- Indian Naval Ships Kochi and Teg along with P8I (maritime patrol aircraft) and (Indian ship based) MiG 29K aircraft are participating in the PASSEX.
- The Indian Naval warships along with aircraft from Indian Navy and Indian Air Force (IAF) will be engaged in joint multi-domain operations with the US Carrier Strike Group.
- The exercise is in the IAF’s Southern Air Command’s area of responsibility and the IAF forces will include Jaguars, Sukhoi-30 MKI fighters, Air-to-Air Refueller aircraft, Airborne Warning And Control System (AWACS) and Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C).
- High tempo operations during the exercise include advanced air defence exercises, cross deck helicopter operations and anti-submarine exercises.
Impact:
- It underscores the shared values as partner navies, in ensuring commitment to an open, inclusive and a rule-based international order.
- It will enhance aspects of interoperability, nuances of international integrated maritime search and rescue operations and exchange of best practices in the maritime airpower domain.
- The exercise comes a week after the Indian defence minister called for an open and inclusive order in the Indo-Pacific region, including the South China Sea at the 8th ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting (ADMM) Plus Meeting.
- The Indian Navy is carrying out round-the-clock surveillance in the IOR, which, it believes, China will inevitably try to enter in its quest to become a global power, just as it has laid claim to large portions of the disputed South China Sea.
India-US Joint Exercises:
- Vajra Prahar (Army).
- Yudh Abhyas (Army).
- Cope India (Air Force).
- Red Flag (USA’s multilateral air exercise).
- Malabar Exercise (trilateral naval exercise of India, USA and Japan).
SOURCE: THE HINDU,THE ECONOMIC TIMES,MINT