India and USA are all set to conduct Passage Naval Exercise in last week of June 2021. Indian naval ships will carry maritime patrol & other aircraft to participate the exercise with US Navy’s Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group during its transit through Indian Ocean Region.
Key Points
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Passex is part of regular exercises between Indian and US navies.
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This bilateral and multilateral format exercises “underscore shared values of both the navies in ensuring commitment of an open, inclusive and rules-based international order.
Background
Indian Navy conducted Passex exercise with USS Ronald Reagan in October 2020 and later Indian naval ships conducted another Passex with USS Nimitz that was returning from South China Sea through Strait of Malacca where Freedom of Navigation Operations were undertaken. In September 2020, a US Navy P-8A long range maritime patrol aircraft also landed at Port Blair in Andaman & Nicobar Islands for refuelling for the first time under bilateral logistics support agreement.
Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group (CSG)
CSG is currently on its way to Middle East to help provide support for US withdrawal from Afghanistan. Earlier in June, CSG was in contested waters of South China Sea where it conducted exercises with Singapore Navy.
Aim of India-US Passex exercise
India-US Passex exercise is a two-day exercise which aims to strengthen bilateral relationship and cooperation by demonstrating ability to integrate & coordinate comprehensively in maritime operations.