India, US kick off two-day naval exercise in eastern Indian Ocean Region

India and the US began a two-day naval exercise in the eastern Indian Ocean Region on Sunday.

India and the US began a two-day naval exercise in the eastern Indian Ocean Region on Sunday. The Indian and US navies were part of joint drills in a passage exercise (PASSEX) conducted earlier in the day, with Indian Air Force fighters being part of such an exercise for the first time. PASSEXs are conducted regularly by Indian Navy with units of friendly foreign navies, whilst visiting each other’s ports or during a rendezvous at sea. Consolidating synergy & interoperability achieved during Malabar 2020 INS Shivalik with integral helicopter and Indian Navy's Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft P8I participated in a Passage Exercise (PASSEX) with US Navy's USS Theodore Rosevelt Carrier Strike Group in the Eastern Indian Ocean Region, the Indian Navy said in an official statement.