About 

• PASSEXs are conducted regularly by Indian Navy with units of friendly foreign navies, whilst visiting each other’s ports or during a rendezvous at sea.
• The exercise is aimed at enhancing interoperability, improving understanding and imbibing best practices between both the friendly navies, and would involve advanced surface and anti-submarine warfare exercises, weapon firings, seamanship exercises and helicopter operations.
• The exercise is being conducted on the occasion of ‘Navy Day’ on December 4, which emphasizes strong bonds of friendship shared between the two friendly militaries(India and Russia).

Significance

• This exercise, being conducted in the eastern Indian Ocean Region, reflects the strong long-term strategic relationship between the two countries and particularly, defence cooperation in the maritime domain.
• It would be another step towards strengthening Indo-Russian defence relations.

Why in News?

On the occasion of ‘Navy Day’, the Indian Navy began a two-day Passage Exercise (PASSEX) with Russian Federation Navy (RuFN) in the Eastern Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

References:

1. https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1678381
2. https://www.livemint.com/news/india/indian-russian-navies-conduct-passage-exercise-in-eastern-indian-ocean-region-see-pics-11607092403823.html