Indian Navy to participate US's Naval exercise 'RIMPAC'

New Delhi, Jun 3: Days after the Quad meeting in Tokyo, India has decided to participate in the world’s biggest maritime exercise 'Rim of the Pacific' or RIMPAC, that the US hosts. As many as 26 countries will showcase their naval might in the RIMPAC exercise from Jun 29 to Aug 4 in Honolulu and San Diego in the 28th edition of the naval wargames.

 

 

 

 

According to a statement by the US Navy's 3rd Fleet, at least 38 surface ships, four submarines and 170 aircraft will join the exercises along with close to 25,000 personnel including ground troops from nine countries. The RIMPAC started in 1971 as an annual exercise by the US, Australia, and Canada. But from 1974, the maritime exercise became a biennial event. Due to COVID 19 pandemic, RIMPAC 2020 was scaled down with only 10 countries, 22 ships, one submarine, and about 5,300 personnel taking part in the exercise.

 

 

 

 

 

India first participated in RIMPAC in 2014 when indigenously built Shivalik class stealth frigate INS Sahyadri took part in the exercise. INS Sahyadri again represented the country in the 2018 edition of the event. In between, in 2016, INS Satpura joined the maritime exercise. Before 2014, the Indian Navy's presence in the wargames was only as an observer for the 2006, 2010 and 2012 editions. So far, the Indian naval headquarters has not finalized the warship to be sent for the upcoming wargames.

 

According to US Navy, "During RIMPAC, a network of capable, adaptive partners train and operate together in order to strengthen their collective forces and promote a free and open Indo-Pacific." Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei, Indonesia, Singapore, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, Ecuador, France, Germany, Israel, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Peru, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tonga and the United Kingdom are the other countries which will be part of the wargames.

 

 

The Quad countries have been trying to further enhance their military cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region to counter Chinese military's growing presence. Recently, navies of US, Royal Australian Navy (RAN), and the Japan Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) took part in ‘Malabar’ maritime drills with Indian Navy in the Indian Ocean, reports The Week.