Royal Australian Navy and Indian Navy warships completed two-day (23 and 24 September 2020) Passage Exercise (PASSEX) in the east Indian Ocean region. The exercise aimed at enhancing interoperability, improving understanding and imbibing best practices from each other. It involved advanced surface and anti-air exercises including weapon firing, seamanship exercises, naval manoeuvres and Cross Deck Flying Operations. “Royal Australian Navy and Indian Navy warships completed 2 day Passage Exercise (PASSEX). Seamanship evolutions, weapon drills and cross deck flying undertaken. High degree of interoperability and jointness were further reinforced,” informed Indian Navy in a press statement. PASSEXs are regularly conducted by the Indian Navy with units of friendly foreign navies, whilst visiting each other’s ports or during a rendezvous at sea. This exercise being conducted in the east Indian Ocean region, reflects the growing strength of Indo-Australian bilateral relations as comprehensive strategic partners, particularly in defence cooperation in the maritime domain.
