India, US carry out mega wargame in Indian Ocean

New Delhi, Jul 15 (PTI) Indian Navy’s frontline warships carried out a mega military exercise with the Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group of the US in the Indian Ocean, demonstrating the growing strategic congruence between the two sides in the key maritime domain.

The USS Theodore Roosevelt is a Nimitz-class, nuclear-powered, aircraft carrier of the US Navy.

A carrier battle group or carrier strike group is a mega naval fleet comprising an aircraft carrier, accompanied by a large number of destroyers, frigates and other ships.

The Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group operated alongside forces from the Indian Navy in the Indian Ocean on July 12, the US embassy said in a readout.

The wargame came amid increasing concerns among democratic countries over China’s increasing military muscle-flexing in the larger Indo-Pacific region.

The Indian Navy’s deployment included guided missile destroyer INS Visakhapatnam and replenishment ship INS Aditya.

“This joint maritime activity advanced interoperability between the two major defence partners and underscores their shared commitment to upholding a free and open Indo-Pacific,” the embassy said.

The US and Indian military forces focused on improving shared maritime domain awareness and information sharing, enhancing replenishment and logistics interoperability and improving combined air-to-air capabilities, it said.

“Participating units include the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, Carrier Air Wing 11, and the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Daniel Inouye,” it said.

The USS Theodore Roosevelt is currently operating with carrier strike group nine after conducting this joint maritime activity in the 7th Fleet area of operations.

The 7th Fleet is the US Navy’s largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, and routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

The Indian Navy routinely participates alongside US Navy units in multilateral exercises across the Pacific, including Southwest Asia and littoral Africa.

“In addition to the group sail, the Indian Navy is also operating in leadership roles with the US Navy and other allies and partners in the ongoing Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2024 exercise in Hawaii,” the US readout said.