Now Reading: India, US navies begin EOD exercise in Kochi
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India, US navies begin EOD exercise in Kochi
The Indian and US navies began a five-day Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) exercise at the Southern Naval Command in Kochi on August 10. The eighth edition of the bilateral exercise, which runs…
The Story in Brief
The Indian and US navies began a five-day Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) exercise at the Southern Naval Command in Kochi on August 10. The eighth edition of the bilateral exercise, which runs until August 14, aims to sharpen interoperability between diving and EOD teams through cross-training, equipment demonstrations, and scenario-based drills. The Times of India reports that the exercise gains urgency from the ongoing conflict in west Asia, where Iran claims to have mined parts of the Strait of Hormuz, a conduit for 20% of global oil and gas. India also has a direct stake: nearly 95% of its trade by volume moves through the Indian Ocean, making port security a critical concern.
The Indian Opinion
The EOD exercise, the eighth since 2005, is easy to overlook when aircraft carriers and fighter jets dominate defence headlines. But clearing mines from a harbour or defusing underwater explosives is not a luxury, it is a necessity, especially when 95% of India's trade by volume moves by sea and the Strait of Hormuz faces mining threats. The real test will be whether the procedures refined here translate into joint operations when a real crisis hits a crowded shipping lane, not just a controlled drill.
Sources (2): thehindu.com, timesofindia.indiatimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
