Passage Exercise

Description

GS PAPER III: Security challenges and their management in border areas - linkages of organized crime with terrorism.

Context: The Indian Air Force (IAF) and Indian Navy will participate in a 'Passage Exercise' with US Navy in the Indian Ocean.

As part of the exercise, Sukhois, Jaguars, IAF refuelling aircraft and warships and maritime patrol aircraft of the Navy will participate in the exercise.
The Indian Naval 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.
The exercise will be carried out south of Thiruvananthapuram.
The two-day exercise “aims to strengthen the bilateral relationship and cooperation by demonstrating the ability to integrate and coordinate comprehensively in maritime operations” and “high tempo operations during the exercise include advanced air defence exercises, cross deck helicopter operations and anti-submarine exercises”.
Significance: The two parties 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”.
It is a strategic outreach exercise with the defence forces of friendly foreign countries” to “focus on multiple areas including enhancing aspects of interoperability, nuances of international integrated maritime (Search and Rescue) operations and exchange of best practices in the maritime airpower domain.”