India, US to carry out two-day mega naval drill in Indian Ocean from today

High tempo operations during the two-day exercise will include advanced air defence exercises, cross deck helicopter operations and anti-submarine exercises, said officials of Indian Navy. The air force said that the assets to be part of the exercise would include Jaguars and Su-30 MKI fighters.

Indian Naval Ships (INS) Kochi and Teg, along with P-8I and MiG-29K aircraft, will participate in a Passage Exercise with USS Ronald Reagan during its transit through Indian Ocean Region, the defence ministry said on Tuesday. The two-day exercise will begin on Wednesday, which officials said reflects the growing operational cooperation between the two navies.

USS Ronald Reagan is passing through Indian Ocean after deployment in South China Sea to ensure freedom of navigation.

According to the ministry, the warships, along with aircraft from Indian Navy and Indian Air Force, will be engaged in joint multi-domain operations with the carrier strike group comprising Nimitz class aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan, Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyer USS Halsey and Ticonderoga class guided missile cruiser USS Shiloh.

A carrier strike group is a mega naval fleet comprising an aircraft carrier, accompanied by a large number of destroyers, frigates and other ships.

High tempo operations during the two-day exercise will include advanced air defence exercises, cross deck helicopter operations and anti-submarine exercises. The participating forces will endeavour to hone their war-fighting skills and enhance their interoperability as an integrated force to promote peace, security and stability in the maritime domain, said officials.

The air force said that the assets to be part of the exercise would include Jaguars and Su-30 MKI fighters, AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) and air-to-air refueller aircraft.

In a statement, it said the US carrier strike group is expected to field F-18 fighters and E-2C Hawkeye aircraft, adding that the exercise will be carried out south of Thiruvananthapuram.