India and US conduct joint naval exercise in Arabian Sea amid Trump tariff tensions

Despite ongoing tariff tensions between India and the US, the armed forces of both countries continue regular joint exercises that have been a feature of their defence cooperation for the last two decades.

In the latest drill, the Indian Navy’s guided-missile destroyer INS Imphal conducted a Passage Exercise (PASSEX) with the US Navy’s Arleigh-Burke class destroyer USS Gridley in the Arabian Sea on Monday, September 29, 2025, an official statement said.

The exercise included tactical manoeuvres, cross-deck flying, anti-piracy VBSS (Visit, Board, Search and Seizure) training, and exchanges of best practices and operational procedures to improve interoperability between the two navies.

“The exercise included tactical manoeuvres, cross-deck flying, anti-piracy VBSS (visit, board, search and seizure) training and sharing of best practices and procedures towards enhancing interoperability. It underscores the endeavours to strengthen maritime cooperation between the two nations,” Navy spokesperson Captain Vivek Madhwal said on Tuesday.

Earlier this month, over 450 Indian soldiers participated in high-altitude combat drills with their US counterparts during the Yudh Abhyas exercise at Fort Wainwright, Alaska, from September 1 to 14.

Looking ahead, India, the US, Australia, and Japan are planning the major Malabar naval exercise off Guam in the Western Pacific in November. Originally a bilateral India-US exercise in 1992, Malabar now includes all Quad nations, with China’s aggressive behaviour in the Indo-Pacific a key focus.