India-US: PASSEX | 23 Jun 2021

Why in News

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.

Key Points

• About:
  
  • 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.
• Previous PASSEX with US:
  
  • The Indian Navy conducted as PASSEX with the USS Ronald Reagan in October 2020.
  • Indian naval ships conducted another PASSEX with the USS Nimitz in July 2020.
• Impact:
  
  • Establish Rule Based Order:
    
    • It underscores the shared values as partner navies, in ensuring commitment to an open, inclusive and a rule-based international order.
  • Increased Interoperability:
    
    • 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.
  • Counter China’s Expansionism:
    
    • 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 8^th 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: IE