• The maritime security exercise — Sea Defenders — between the Indian Coast Guard and United States Coast Guard (USCG) concluded at Port Blair on March 9. 

• The exercise was aimed at enhancing maritime cooperation and interoperability between the two forces.

• It included a variety of scenarios including a pollution response demonstration, in which Indian Coast Guard ships and aircraft showcased their expertise in responding to oil spills and other environmental hazards at sea. It also simulated Visit Board Search and Seizure (VBSS) operations for inspecting vessels suspected of illegal activity.

• The exercise also included practice to neutralize asymmetric threats, akin to drone attacks on commercial merchant traffic. 

• These joint exercises provide valuable training opportunities for both Coast Guards, allowing them to refine their skills and improve their ability to work together in a coordinated manner. 

Other bilateral exercises with the US are: 

i) Cope India (Air Force)

ii) Yudh Abhyas (Army) 

iii) Tiger Triumph (a tri-services exercise inaugurated in 2019).

iv) Vajra Prahar (Special Forces).

Major Defence Partner

• The Indo-US defence ties have been on an upswing in the last few years.

• In June 2016, the US designated India a ‘Major Defence Partner’ paving way for sharing of critical military equipment and technology.

• The two countries have also inked key defence and security pacts over the past few years, including the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) in 2016 that allows their militaries to use each other’s bases for repair and replenishment of supplies.

• The two sides also signed COMCASA (Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement) in 2018 which provides for interoperability between the two militaries and provides for the sale of high-end technology from the US to India.

• In October 2020, India and the US sealed the BECA (Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement) agreement to further boost bilateral defence ties. The pact provides for sharing of high-end military technology, logistics and geospatial maps between the two countries.

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