The Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group (TRCSG) recently engaged in a joint maritime activity with the Indian Navy in the Indian Ocean on July 12, 2024. This exercise exemplifies the growing defence cooperation between the US and India, focusing on enhancing interoperability and reaffirming their commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.
Key Objectives
The joint exercise aimed to advance interoperability between the two major defence partners. Key focus areas included:
Shared Maritime Domain Awareness and Information Sharing: Both navies worked on improving their capabilities to monitor and share information regarding maritime activities, which is crucial for maintaining regional security and stability.
Replenishment and Logistics Interoperability: Enhancing the logistics and replenishment procedures ensures that both forces can sustain prolonged operations at sea, increasing their operational readiness and effectiveness.
Combined Air-to-Air Capabilities: The exercise also included drills to improve air-to-air combat coordination, enhancing the tactical proficiency of both navies’ air wings.
Participating Units
The units involved in the exercise included:
From the US: Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71); Carrier Air Wing 11; and Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Daniel Inouye (DDG 118).
From India: Guided missile destroyer INS Visakhapatnam (D66); and Replenishment ship INS Aditya (A59).
Ongoing Collaboration
The Indian Navy regularly participates in multilateral exercises alongside US Navy units across various regions, including the Pacific, Southwest Asia, and littoral Africa. Apart from this joint maritime activity, the Indian Navy is also playing leadership roles in the ongoing Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2024 exercise in Hawaii, further demonstrating the depth of cooperation between the two nations.