Indian Navy is set to undertake Passage Exercise(PASSEX) with Royal Australian Navy (RAN) in the East Indian Ocean Region on September 23 and 24. PASSEXs are regularly conducted by the Indian Navy with the units of friendly foreign navies while visiting each other’s ports.
The exercise would involve the participation of HMAS Hobart from the Australian side and Indian Naval Ships Sahyadri and Karmuk. In addition to these, an Indian MPA and helicopters from both sides would be participating in the exercise. The exercise is being conducted to enhance interoperability, improving understanding and learning best practices from each other. It would involve advanced surface and anti-air exercises including weapon firings, seamanship exercises, naval manoeuvres and Cross Deck Flying Operations. The exercise would be a strictly followed ‘non-contact activity’ to abide by COVID-19 precautions.
The exercise also reflects on the strength of Indo-Australian bilateral relations in the maritime domain and defence cooperations. Both the navies also indulge in regular exercises such as AUSINDEX.
