Indian warships have stepped up patrolling since LAC stand-offs
Amid on-going border tension with China, India and the US Navies on Monday carried out joint maritime exercises off the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The Indian warships have stepped up patrolling in the Indian Ocean region in the last few weeks since the beginning of the stand-offs at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh. The Straits of Malacca close to the Andaman region is critical for China as more than 80 per cent of its oil imports pass through this lane where India has a distinct advantage.
The Indian warships can easily “turn off the tap” by blocking the sea lane. In an obvious signal to China, the Indian Navy went for long range deployments of ships. This measure came about after China ramped up its military strength at the face-off sites and all along the 4,000 km long LAC. Indian also deployed additional troops, heavy weapons, and fighter jets close to the border in the last eight weeks to face any threat.
Against this backdrop, the US aircraft carrier USS Nimitz, along with other warships and submarines, conducted Passage Exercise (Passex) off the Andamans on Monday with the Indian Navy ships. It is a very basic drill where ships of the two navies sail past each other in the ocean as a goodwill gesture and professional courtesy.
Officials said the drill took place as the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group was transiting through the Indian Ocean region. They also said the Indian Navy had conducted similar Passexs with Japan and France in the recent past.
The US Carrier strike group was en route for deployment in the Middle East from the South China Sea when it carried a joint exercise with the Indian Navy ships, sources said.
This exercise came at a time when India and China are making efforts to end the stand-offs and defuse tension at the LAC. Moreover, China’s growing assertiveness in the South China Sea has led to tension with the nations located on its rim and the US Navy recently carried out a major exercise involving USS Nimitz and USS Ronald Reagan.
Incidentally, the Eastern Fleet of the Indian Navy is at present carrying a major operational exercise off the Andaman and Nicobar Islands for the past few days.
The ongoing exercise includes frontline warships, submarines, frigates, maritime reconnaissance aircraft and helicopters. In order to enhance the scope and dimension of the exercise, warships now patrolling the Strait of Malacca also joined for some drills, sources said.
The US-India Passex also came months ahead of the Malabar series of maritime exercises. Besides India and US, Japan is the third country to participate in this prestigious exercise. This year Australia may also join it as an observer. China has all along protested against any move to include Australia in this exercise as it may signal militarization Quadrilateral (Quad) coalition.