Why is it in the news?

• Indian Air Force (IAF) and Indian Navy are taking part in two mega multinational war games hosted by their U.S. counterparts.

 More about the news:

• The IAF has deployed Rafale fighter jets for the two-week multinational air exercise Red Flag which commenced in Alaska on May 30.
• On the other hand, the Indian Navy is deploying the indigenous stealth frigate INS Shivalik for Ex RIMPAC (Rim of the Pacific) scheduled to be held in Hawaii from June 25 to August 2.
• On June 1, the Indian Navy announced that INS Shivalik, currently on a mission in the South China Sea and Pacific Ocean, left Singapore on May 30. Its next destination is Yokosuka, Japan, to take part in the Japan-India maritime exercise JIMEX-24, slated for mid-June. Subsequently, INS Shivalik will proceed to participate in RIMPAC-24.

About Red Flag 24:

• An Indian Air Force (IAF) contingent, supported by IL-78 air-to-air refuelers and C-17 transport aircraft, arrived at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska for Red Flag 24.
• The IAF deployed eight Rafale fighters, three C-17s, and two IL-78s.
• The exercise aims to integrate aircrew in a multinational setting and provides realistic combat training in a simulated environment over the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex.
• The exercises can be adapted to integrate various forces into a realistic threat environment using the more than 77,000 square miles of airspace in the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex, which is the largest combat training range in the world.
• Since its inception in 1975, Red Flag exercises are designed to create a comprehensive learning environment by simulating realistic combat scenarios.
• There are two distinct Red Flag exercise locations: Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada and Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska.
• The Nevada exercise is organized by the United States Air Force Warfare Center (USAFWC), while the Alaska exercise is managed by the Pacific Air Forces (PACAF), the air component command of the United States’ Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM).

About RIMPAC 24:

• The RIMPAC-24 exercise will be held in and close to the Hawaiian Islands from 26th June to 2th August.
• RIMPAC 2024, the 29th iteration of the exercise series, is among the largest biennial multinational naval exercises globally, led by the US.
• Originating in 1971 as an annual event involving the US, Australia, and Canada, it transitioned to a biennial format from 1974.
• Objective: Enhance interoperability with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), US Navy, and other partner navies.
• The exercise aims to enhance interoperability, resiliency and agility needed by the Joint and Combined Force to deter and defeat aggression across all domains and levels of conflict, by major powers and foster trust among participating navies from friendly foreign nations.
• Participants: 29 nations, 40 surface ships, 3 submarines, 14 national land forces, over 150 aircraft, and more than 25,000 personnel.
• This year’s participants in RIMPAC include forces from Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, Ecuador, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Peru, the Republic of Korea, the Republic of the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tonga, U.K. and the U.S.
• In the current edition, Indian Navy’s Indigenous stealth frigate INS Shivalik is participating in the exercise.

 About Japan-India maritime exercise JIMEX-24:

• Indian Navy said that INS Shivalik, mission deployed to the South China Sea and Pacific Ocean, departed Singapore on May 30 for onward passage to Yokosuka, Japan to participate in Japan-India maritime exercise JIMEX-24 scheduled to be held mid-June and then onward to RIMPAC-24.