The Hindu : National : "No PSI element in naval drills with U.S."

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Sunday, Sep 25, 2005

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National

"No PSI element in naval drills with U.S."

Special Correspondent

India is not yet a signatory to PSI but the navy is keen to join `No specific scenario can be structured in the exercises' timeframe of five days. In this compressed timeframe, several truncated exercises would be held'

NEW DELHI: Ahead of the biggest-ever joint exercise with the U.S. Navy, officials here denied that the war games envisaged simulated proliferation security initiative (PSI), the U.S.-led move to seize illicit weapons of mass destruction (WMD) cargo on the high seas.

Led by aircraft carriers and supplemented by guided missile destroyers, frigates, helicopters, spy planes and fighter aircraft, the navies, among other focus areas, would practise interdiction on the high seas as well as visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) of vessels. A senior naval officer, however, said the interdiction scenario and VBSS were not related to PSI to which India is not yet a signatory but the Navy is keen to join. "No specific scenario can be structured in the exercises' timeframe of five days. In this compressed timeframe, several truncated exercises would be held," said Rear Admiral D.K. Joshi.

In contrast, all Indian Army war games with its foreign counterparts compulsorily simulate U.N. missions. "The U.N. flag is always in the background. We envisage scenarios where the U.N. has mandated an operation in the third country," said an Army official.

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