NEW DELHI (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 04th December, 2020) The Indian and Russian navies are taking part in a two-day joint passing exercise (PASSEX) in the Bay of Bengal, the spokesperson of the Indian Navy at the Defense Ministry said on Friday.
PASSEX � the communication and navigational drills with ships coordinating maneuvers � will run from Friday through Saturday. The first day of PASSEX marks Indian Navy Day celebrated on December 4.
#IndianNavy ships Shivalik & Kadmatt carrying out Passage Exercise (PASSEX) with Russian Federation Navy (RuFN) ships Varyag, Admiral Panteleyev & Pechenga in the Eastern #IndianOceanRegion (IOR)," the navy official wrote on Twitter.
At the same time, according to the Indian Defense Ministry, the drills aim to enhance interoperability and share the best practices between the two navies.
"This PASSEX would be another step towards strengthening Indo-Russian defence relations. The two navies have built a robust relationship through regular exercises such as INDRA Navy conducted biennially," the ministry said in a statement.
In September, Russia and India conducted the INDRA Navy-2020 exercise in the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea.
