Indian & U.S Navies Discuss Ways to Expand Maritime Security Cooperation

Admiral R. Hari Kumar, the Indian Navy Chief, was there at the 25th International Seapower Symposium (abbreviated ISS) in the US, per the Defence Ministry.

At the conference, the CNS discussed extensively the challenges of Human Resource Management, particularly the retention and recruitment of trained personnel, as well as India’s initiatives in terms of addressing these via “Agnipath”, empowering women, and transforming the country’s Navy into a more gender-neutral force.

Per the ministry, the ISS is carried out at the US Naval War College based in Newport by the US Navy and gives a golden opportunity for interacting with the FFCs toward the aim of enhancing Indo-Pacific maritime cooperation. 

Per the statement, the visit of the Chief of Naval Staff to the US offers a huge opportunity, especially for apex-level navy-to-navy interactions for furthering their bilateral cooperation and also engaging with several partners all over the Indo-Pacific.

Admiral Hari Kumar met counterparts from the US, Fiji, Israel, Australia, Egypt, Italy, Peru, Japan, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, the UK, and Singapore on the ISS sidelines, per a Defence Ministry official. 

The broad interactions during the tour demonstrate the Indian Navy’s commitment to achieving the goal of a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific and an international rules-based order, according to the official.

During the visit of the Indian Navy chief, extensive discussions took place about expanding the IN-USN operational involvement at multilateral and bilateral exercises like that of Malabar, RIMPAC, Tiger Triumph, and Sea Dragon.

The two fleets exchange subject matter specialists regularly for institutionalizing interoperability in many disciplines, per a ministry official.

Besides, the US made India a “Major Defence Partner” in 2016 (June), clearing the path for the exchange of military equipment and technology, per PTI.

The two countries have signed defence and security treaties over the recent years, particularly the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (abbreviated the LEMOA) back in 2016, which permits the forces to make use of the facilities of each other for supply maintenance as well as replenishment.

Back in 2018, the two sides inked the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (popular as COMCASA), which allows military interoperability and facilities exporting high-end equipment to India from the US.

References: abplive, thehindu

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Source: Maritime Shipping News