India-USA to expand operational engagement in Indo-Pacific

New Delhi: Days after China inducted its most advanced aircraft carrier, the navies of India and USA have decided to hold more complex maritime drills in the Indo-Pacific region focusing on unmanned systems, intelligence, cyber activities and space based operations.

The two navies agreed on working closely on unmanned systems, (ISR) intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance), cyber, and space-enabled maritime operations to bolster readiness and resilience at sea, official sources said on Saturday.

In addition, there will be more complex drills like the Quad-level Malabar exercise, CMF (Combined Maritime Forces) drills and the upcoming Milan exercise in the Bay of Bengal to refine joint war-fighting, logistics, and sustainment.

These were decided at Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh Tripathi’s meeting with Admiral Samuel J Paparo, Commander, Indo-Pacific Command; Admiral Stephen Koehler, Commander, of the Pacific Fleet and Lt Gen James Glynn, Commander of US Marine Forces during his week-long visit to the USA.

The objective behind expanding the bilateral naval collaboration, sources said, would be to keep the high-seas free, open inclusive and follow rule-based international order – an oblique reference to Chinese muscle flexing in the Indian Ocean region.

While discussing the scope of expanding avenues for operational engagements across Indo-Pacific, the two sides agreed to work in close coordination to secure the sea lanes of communications, protect under-sea infrastructure, and deal with piracy and other non-traditional security challenges besides the humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and search and rescue operations.

The high-level military engagement took place days after People’s Liberation Army Navy got its third and most modern aircraft carrier Fujian that has an electromagnetic catapult for faster launch of heavier aircraft. The 80,000 tonnes ship is also the world’s biggest non-nuclear powered ship.

The Navy Chief’s visit coincides with the ongoing Malabar exercise off Guam in the Northern Pacific in which INS Sahyadri is participating. Also it comes close on the heels of India and USA renewing a 10-year defence cooperation framework agreement to further intensify collaboration between the two nations.