Article Posted on : - Sep 29, 2009

A file photo of Indo-US naval exercise.

NEW DELHI (BNS): Defence ministry called off the Indo American Joint Naval exercise, which was to be held in Japan last week, a media report said.

The Indian Express Monday said that the amphibious assault exercise was scheduled to start in Okinawa last Friday and the Navy chose 12 senior officers for the war games. Officers were pulled out from various commands and called to Delhi for final documentation. But the Navy’s participation was called off days before their departure because permission did not come through from the Defence Ministry.

“The officers had been taken off duties, called to Delhi. Even the preparatory embarkment had been done but the permission did not come till the last moment,” the daily quoted a source saying, adding that officers spent close to 10 days in Delhi, waiting for clearance.

While no explanation was given by the Defence Ministry for holding back the clearance, this is not the first time that Indo-US defence interactions have been called off by the Ministry this year, it said.