PASSEX with the U.S.A | 21 Jul 2020

Why in News

Recently, Indian Naval ships conducted a Passage Exercise (PASSEX) with the U.S. Navy’s USS Nimitz carrier strike group near the Andaman and Nicobar islands.

• A passage exercise is normally undertaken whenever an opportunity arises, in contrast to pre-planned maritime drills.
• Recently, the Indian Navy had also conducted similar PASSEXs with the Japanese Navy and the French Navy.

Key Points

• PASSEX:
  
  • Four frontline Indian naval ships which included INS Shivalik, INS Sahyadri, INS Kamorta and INS Rana, teamed up with carrier USS Nimitz and three other U.S. ships to conduct the exercise.
    
    • USS Nimitz is the U.S. Navy’s largest aircraft carrier.
• Aim:
  
  • To improve the cooperation between the U.S. and Indian maritime forces and to maximize training and interoperability, which also include air defence.
• Impact:
  
  • It will enhance both sides' ability to counter threats at sea, from piracy to violent extremism.
    
    • A free and open sea promotes an international rules-based order wherein each country can reach its potential without sacrificing national sovereignty.
  • It will also present opportunities to build upon the pre-existing strong relationship between the United States and India and allow both countries to learn from each other.
• China Factor:
  
  • PASSEX comes amid a high alert by the Indian Navy in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) due to the stand-off with China along the border in Ladakh.
    
    • The exercise also came amidst mounting tensions in the South China Sea where the U.S Navy just conducted a major exercise involving USS Nimitz and USS Ronald Reagan.
  • The Indian Navy is keeping a close watch on the movement of Chinese naval ships in the IOR, whose presence has gone up considerably over the years in the name of anti-piracy patrols.
    
    • In 2017, China opened its first overseas military base in Djibouti in the Horn of Africa.

Source: TH