India embarks on series of joint naval exercises with China US and Russia

[Lilo]

India embarks on series of joint naval exercises

Sandeep Dikshit

"No intention of passing any message during deployment"

# Most hectic of interactions with friendly countries
# Exercises to span from `Pas-ex' to joint boarding

NEW DELHI: The Navy has embarked on a series of exercises with navies from the U.S., Japan, Russia, China, the Philippines, Vietnam and New Zealand. Senior officers made it clear that there was no intention of passing on a "message" to any country during two months of deployment in the Far East.

"The deployment is part of the constructive engagement being undertaken by the Navy in concert with other instruments and mechanisms of Indian diplomacy. The intention is not to pass on any message to any country," Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Pradeep Chauhan told newspersons. This would be the most hectic Indian naval interaction with counterparts from friendly countries. The naval contingent from the Vishakhapatnam-based Eastern Command has already concluded the Singapore leg of exercises and Admiral Chauhan said this would become the standard pattern of Indian naval deployment.

The schedule was complex and the exercises would span from the basic `Pas-ex' (passage exercise) to joint boarding of ships and anti-submarine warfare. The entire fleet would sometimes exercise together and also split to engage with two navies simultaneously. Having concluded the engagements with the Singapore Navy, the fleet is bound for Okinawa in Japan where it will conduct the year's first leg of Malabar series of exercises with the U.S. Navy's Seventh Fleet. The venue and the timing of the exercise are undisclosed.

Thereafter, the Eastern Fleet commander will split his forces. A group of two destroyers will reach Qingdao to exercise with the Navy of the People's Republic of China on April 17. The same day, the main body of ships will join hands with the U.S. Navy and the Japanese Maritime Self Defence Forces. The fleet will then regroup and move further north to engage the Russians in harbour and sea phase exercises at Vladivostok from April 22 to 26 under the biennial Indra series.

During the return leg of deployment, two groups will be formed — one engaging in exercises with the Philippines and the other with Vietnam.Principally, the complex exercises will be held with the U.S. and Russia. The U.S. will field the nuclear submarine USS Hampton besides USS John S McCain, Mustin, Curtis Wilbur and Fitzgerald. Russia has identified its main ships as Marshal Shapoishnikov and Admiral Vinogradov along with other ships and shore based aircraft. China has not given details of its ships.
http://www.hindu.com/2007/04/02/stories/2007040203461300.htm
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