An American delegation led by Carlos Del Toro, Secretary of the Navy, US, visited Indian Navy’s Southern Naval Command within the metropolis of Kochi, Kerala, on Sunday and Monday. As a part of the go to, the American Secretary of the Navy interacted with Vice Admiral MA Hampiholi, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command. 

They held discussions on the enhancement of bilateral cooperation and coaching exchanges on maritime points. The visiting delegation additionally went on board India’s indigenous plane provider INS Vikrant and interacted with the ship’s crew. 

Del Toro and the accompanying delegation are on a five-day official go to to India. Prior to their go to to Southern Naval Command, they met Admiral R Hari Kumar, Chief of the Naval Staff and high-ranking Government officers in New Delhi. 

India and USA have historically maintained shut and pleasant relations. The Defence relationship between the 2 international locations has been one among mutual belief and confidence, which has reworked after the accord of main ‘Defence Partner Status’ to India in Jun 2016. 

In addition, each international locations have concluded sure foundational agreements, together with the Defence Framework Agreement, signed in 2015, which lays a blueprint for collaboration between the defence institutions of each international locations, the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) signed in 2016, which is a foundational settlement facilitating reciprocal logistics assist between the Armed Forces of each international locations. 

The Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) signed on sixth Sep 2018, facilitates information-sharing between the Armed Forces of each nations and extra just lately, the Basic Exchange Cooperation Agreement (BECA), which permits sharing of geo-spatial data between the Ministry of Defence and National Geospatial Agency (NGA), USA.

The Indian Navy intently cooperates with the US Navy on quite a few points, which embody operational interactions such because the MALABAR, just lately held from 9-15 November, off Yokosuka, Japan. This additionally consists of RIMPAC 22 sequence of workout routines, coaching exchanges, and trade of White Shipping Information and Subject Matter Experts in numerous fields, all of that are coordinated via the medium of Executive Steering Group (ESG) conferences carried out yearly.

In addition, warships from each Navies frequently make port calls at one another’s ports. Both Navies have additionally been cooperating in the direction of exploring new avenues for collaboration with a shared purpose of a ‘Free, Open and inclusive Indo-Pacific.

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