Indo-US Defence Cooperation: ‘Exercise Cope India’ Resumes After Nine Years

India and the United States will revive Exercise Cope India (war games between air forces of the two countries) after nine years, Deccan Herald has reported. The last edition of the bilateral war-game was held at Agra in 2009. The 12-day-long drill will be held at Kalikunda and Panagarh in West Bengal from Monday (3 December 2018).

The United States Air Force (USAF) has deployed 12 F-15 fighter jets and three C-130 transporters for the drill. Indian Air Force’s (IAF) combat aircraft Su-30 MKI, Jaguar, Mirage-2000, transport aircraft C-130J and Phalcon air-borne radar (AWACS) units will participate in the drill.

IAF said that the “aim of the exercise is to provide operational exposure and undertake mutual exchange of best practices towards enhancing operational capability” in a statement. However, the IAF spokesperson did not explain why the defence exercise had been shelved after 2009.

Defence cooperation between the two nations is on the rise in recent times. India and the US have signed critical agreements like Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) and Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA).