NEW DELHI: The Indian Armed Forces, Navy and Air Force carried out a joint multi-manoeuvre maritime exercise in the Arabian Sea.
The Indian Navy said on Monday that “Indian Navy ships INS Aditya and INS Visakhapatnam undertook a maritime partnership exercise (MPX) with the US Naval Carrier Strike Group comprising the US Navy ships USS Theodore Roosevelt and USS Daniel Inouye in the Arabian Sea on July 12.”
Giving details about the exercise, the Indian Navy added, “The ships undertook replenishment at sea, crossdeck flying operations, and air defence exercises, including maritime manoeuvres, demonstrating seamless Indian Navy-US Navy interoperability and enhancing the ability to undertake complex joint maritime operations.”
The US Embassy, in its statement, said, “The Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group (TRCSG) operated alongside forces from the U.S. Air Force, Indian Navy, and Indian Air Force in the Indian Ocean, July 12, 2024.”
As per the US Embassy, "this joint maritime activity advanced interoperability between the two major defence partners and underscores their shared commitment to upholding a free and open Indo-Pacific.
U.S. and Indian military forces focused on improving shared maritime domain awareness and information sharing; enhancing replenishment and logistics interoperability; and improving combined air-to-air capabilities.”
Participating units include the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), Carrier Air Wing 11, and the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Daniel Inouye (DDG 118). The Indian Forces include the guided missile destroyer INS Visakhapatnam (D66), the replenishment ship INS Aditya (A59), and two Indian Air Force Su-30 fighter aircraft.
The Indian Navy routinely participates alongside U.S. Navy units in multilateral exercises across the Pacific, including Southwest Asia and littoral Africa. In addition to the group sail, the Indian Navy is also operating in leadership roles with the U.S. Navy and other allies and partners in the ongoing Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2024 exercise in Hawaii.
USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) is currently operating with Carrier Strike Group Nine after conducting this joint maritime activity in the 7th Fleet area of operations.
The 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy's largest forward-deployed numbered fleet and routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region.