'Shared commitment to deeper defence cooperation': Envoy Gor welcomes Indian Navy at US-led maritime exercise 'RIMPAC 2026'
New Delhi, July 14
US Ambassador to India, Sergio Gor, on Monday welcomed the Indian Navy's participation in the US-led maritime exercise 'RIMPAC 2026' presently underway in Hawaii.
In a post on X, he underlined how it further reflects the shared commitment to fostering deeper defence ties between New Delhi and Washington.
Gor said, "The world's largest international maritime exercise, #RIMPAC2026, is underway in Hawaii! We warmly welcome the Indian Navy's P-8I maritime reconnaissance aircraft to this U.S.-led exercise that highlights our shared commitment to deeper U.S.-India defence cooperation."
The Indian Navy's P-8I Long Range Maritime Reconnaissance and Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) aircraft arrived at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Honolulu, Hawaii, to participate in the 30th edition of the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise.
The P-8I maritime surveillance aircraft has assumed a key anti-submarine warfare leadership role at the Rim of the Pacific Exercise - RIMPAC 2026 as the sea phase of the exercise begins.
Earlier in a statement, the Indian Navy said that its P-8I LRMR aircraft and contingent of participating personnel continued active engagement with partner navies through mission planning, technical preparations, operational briefings and professional exchanges.
"This is the first time that Indian Navy is discharging the role of Deputy Commander Task Force for Theatre-level Anti Submarine Warfare during the exercise," the statement said.
The deployment reaffirms Indian Navy's commitment to a free, open, inclusive and rules-based Indo-Pacific while enhancing interoperability, maritime domain awareness and operational cooperation with partner navies, the Indian Navy underlined in a previous statement.
RIMPAC 2026 is the 30th exercise in the series that began in 1971.
According to an official US Navy website, thirty nations, over 30 surface ships, five submarines, 15 national land forces, more than 206 aircraft and 30,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC in and around the Hawaiian Islands.
— ANI
Reader Comments
While defence cooperation is important, I hope we're not just becoming a junior partner in US-led exercises. We should also focus on building our own indigenous capabilities, not just buying American equipment. But yes, RIMPAC is valuable for interoperability.
As an American, I'm thrilled to see India taking a prominent role in RIMPAC. The P-8I is a fantastic platform, and the Indian Navy's expertise in ASW is world-class. This is what a strong US-India partnership looks like.
Deputy Commander Task Force for Theatre-level ASW - that's no small role! And 30 nations, 30,000 personnel... this is a huge exercise. Proud of our Navy for stepping up. This sends a strong signal to Beijing about our commitment to a free Indo-Pacific. 🇮🇳🤝🇺🇸
First time India has this role in RIMPAC? That's impressive progress. The Indian Navy clearly brings a lot to the table. I hope our countries continue to deepen this partnership.
All well and good, but I hope this doesn't mean we're getting dragged into conflicts that don't directly affect India. The US has its own geopolitical agenda. Let's cooperate, but keep our strategic autonomy. Look at what happened to Ukraine.
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