As the Indian Ocean has emerged as one of the most strategically important regions and China is flexing its maritime muscle there, the IAF will take part in an exercise with the US there for two days starting Wednesday.
Giving details here on Tuesday, IAF officials said as a strategic outreach exercise with the defence forces of friendly foreign countries in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), IAF and the US Navy will participate in an exercise to be carried out with Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group (CSG).
The Exercise in the area of responsibility of the Southern Air Command will see the IAF forces operate from bases under four operational commands and will include Jaguars and Su-30 MKI fighter jets, AWACS, AEW&C and Air to Air Refueller aircraft. The US CSG is expected to field F-18 fighters and E-2C Hawkeye AEW&C aircraft. The exercise will be carried out south of Thiruvananthapuram, on the western seaboard, over two days.