Indian and Australian navies conducted a joint maritime drill amid rising Chinese aggression. The passage exercise is being held in the east Indian Ocean Region on September 23 and 24. Passage drills are conducted whenever the opportunity arises, unlike pre-planned joint military exercises. Weapon firing, naval manoeuvres, and cross-desk flying operations are part of the drill which is strictly non-contact due to Covid-19 pandemic. Beijing would be watching such exercises with a wary eye given its expansionist activities in the South China Sea which have invited ire from many countries, including the United States of America. Also, India and Australia are members of the informal Quad grouping along with the USA and Japan. The Quad is considered a counterweight to China in the Indo-Pacific region. Watch the full video for more.
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