New Delhi, Oct 02: As the Indo-US special forces of the Army are set to commence in the icy heights in Eastern Ladakh, the two countries will hold the biggest-ever joint naval exercises off the Kochi coast in which for the first time an American nuclear submarine is to take part. Besides the nuclear submarine, the exercise in the Arabian Sea would involve two US Perry class destroyers, P3C Orion long range maritime Reconnaissance Aircraft and from Indian side two Russian acquired Kashin class missile destroyers, anti-submarine Kamov helicopters and IL-154 Reconissance Aircraft.
The sixth of the Malabar series of exercises would be from today to October 06. The upcoming joint manoeuvres would bring the level of naval exchanges between the two countries to pre-Pokhran level.
This would be for the first time in over two decades that Indian Navy would be involved in deep sea manoeuvres with a nuclear submarine. Indian Navy's lone nuclear submarine 'INS Chakra' was returned to the Russian Navy after the expiry of six year lease in early eighties.
India has been bidding to acquire two more nuclear submarines of larger class than INS Chakra from the Russian Navy and presently negotiations are on for this between New Delhi and Moscow. Bureau Report