After independence, the US and Soviet Union courted India for strategic ties as part of their Cold War machinations. And New Delhi could only choose one, which for the most party of history was the Soviet Union.
Now, nearly 30 years after the fall of the Soviet Union, and despite India's rising engagement with the US, New Delhi has seemingly succeeded in keeping both Washington and Moscow 'pleased'. Evidence of this was on display on Monday at Indian Air Force bases in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, and Kalaikunda, West Bengal—two places that are literally geographic extremities of India.
#AviaIndra2018 : A variety of missions would be flown in a counter-terrorism scenario during
— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) December 10, 2018
Aviaindra-18.
Aim of ex is dual fold: To enhance mutual cooperation & understanding between IAF & RFASF while flying missions in fighter, transport & helicopters of Russian origin. pic.twitter.com/Wx70MLXV9r
At Jodhpur, Exercises AVIAINDRA between the IAF and Russian Air Force kicked off on Monday and will continue till December 21. Meanwhile, at Kalaikunda and Panagarh in West Bengal, the IAF and United States Air Force have been engaged in Exercise Cope India-18 since December 3. The Cope India exercise will end on December 14.
Not surprisingly, there are significant differences between the exercises. While 12 USAF F-15 C/D air superiority fighters and three C-130s are participating in Cope India, the IAF describes AVIAINDRA as a unique exercise in which the foreign participants will not bring their air assets. The AVIAINDRA exercise is the second phase of drills between India and Russia this year, with an earlier exercise taking place at Lipetsk, Russia, in September. During the first phase, IAF pilots flew in Russian Air Force aircraft.
In AVIAINDRA, the IAF tweeted that the exercises would include a counter-terrorism scenario, which would see Indian and Russian pilots fly fighters, transport aircraft and helicopters of Russian origin.
#CopeIndia2018 :Glimpses of IAF & USAF C-130's airborne assault phase during CI-18.Multiple missions were undertaken for austere zone capture,airborne guidance post, insertion of forces by airdrop & assault landing for furtherance of ops & extrication of forces.
— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) December 10, 2018
A Job Well Done. pic.twitter.com/QjdLvbyYgg
Cope India, on other hand, has seen the IAF and USAF practise airborne assaults on 'enemy' territory using their C-130 aircraft as well as manoeuvres involving the F-15s and the SU-30MKI, Mirage-2000 and Jaguar fighters from India. This is the fourth Cope India exercise.
India's dexterous handling of animosity between Russia and the US is also on display during Cope India and AVIAINDRA. Only “Russian origin” systems will be used in AVIAINDRA, perhaps to reassure the US that technology on US-origin aircraft like the C-130 and C-17 transport aircraft isn't being compromised.
