Indian, Australian navies carry out operations to enhance interoperability

New Delhi, April 13 (IANS) The Indian and Australian navies carried out maritime operations, information exchange, and training together from April 11 to April 13 to enhance collaboration and interoperability.A meeting in this regard was co-chaired by Royal Australian Navy's Deputy Chief Rear Admiral Christopher Smith, and Indian Navy's Assistant Chief of Naval Staff, Foreign Cooperation and Intelligence, Rear Admiral J. Singh. Commodore Stewart Dunne, Hydrographer to Australian government, also attended the meeting.The event witnessed active participation from both navies."Both sides also acknowledged the growing cooperation between the two navies amid the emerging challenges on the maritime front, and agreed to enhance collaboration and interoperability towards ensuring maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region," said the Indian Navy in a statement.On Tuesday, a P8I Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft of the Indian Navy went to Darwin in Australia to undertake an operational turnaround at Darwin.During its stay, the team from the Indian Navy's maritime patrol squadron, Albatross, is scheduled to engage with its counterparts from the 92 Wing of the Royal Australian Air Force.P8 aircraft from both the countries would be conducting coordinated operations in Anti-Submarine Warfare and surface surveillance to enhance maritime domain awareness.The P8 aircraft, with their demonstrated long reach, have operated jointly during Malabar and AUSINDEX series of exercises, and have a common understanding of operating procedures and information sharing.The maritime waters between Indonesia and Northern Australia is an area of mutual interest to both countries, being a gateway into the Indian Ocean Region.Both India and Australia share strategic interests, promoting a free and open Indo- Pacific and rules based order in the region.
--IANS sk/vd

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