India-US Navy EOD Exercise Concludes in Kochi

The eighth India-US Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Exercise 2026 concluded on 14 August 2026 at the Southern Naval Command in Kochi. The five-day bilateral training programme ran from 10 August 2026 to 14 August 2026 and involved diving and ordnance disposal units of both navies.

Explosive Ordnance Disposal in Naval Operations

Explosive Ordnance Disposal is a military specialisation that deals with the detection, identification, rendering safe, recovery, and disposal of explosive hazards. In naval settings, EOD teams also handle underwater mines, unexploded ordnance, improvised explosive devices, and explosive remnants found near ports, harbours, and maritime routes.

Training Components of the Exercise

The 2026 edition included Subject Matter Expert Exchanges between specialist teams from the two navies. The teams reviewed render-safe procedures for Improvised Explosive Devices and conducted cross-training in wreck location, salvage operations, and slithering drills. The exercise also included demonstrations of unmanned underwater systems. Such systems are used in maritime operations for underwater inspection, reconnaissance, search, and support tasks in hazardous environments.

India-US Naval Cooperation

The India-US Navy EOD exercise series began in 2005. The bilateral engagement is part of wider naval cooperation between India and the United States in the Indian Ocean region and the wider Indo-Pacific maritime domain. Southern Naval Command, based in Kochi, is one of the three operational commands of the Indian Navy. It functions as the Indian Navy’s training command and hosts several specialist maritime training activities.

Important Facts for Exams

• The Indian Navy has three operational commands: Western Naval Command, Eastern Naval Command, and Southern Naval Command.
• Improvised Explosive Devices are commonly abbreviated as IEDs in defence and security terminology.
• Unmanned underwater systems are also used in mine countermeasure and underwater survey roles.
• The first India-US Navy EOD exercise was held in 2005.

Maritime Interoperability

Interoperability in naval exercises refers to the ability of two forces to operate together using compatible procedures, communication methods, and operational standards. EOD exercises are used by navies to improve coordination in underwater threat response and specialist rescue tasks.