India conducts naval exercise with world's largest warship USS Nimitz near Andaman

Amid border tensions with China, Indian warships began conducting an exercise with the US Navy's nuclear-powered USS Nimitz close to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands on Monday.

The United States's USS Nimitz is the world's largest warship.

The Indian Navy carried out the exercise to test its capabilities and be battle-ready against Chinese forays in the seas amid the India-China tussle in eastern Ladakh.

Assets of the Eastern Naval Command and the Andaman and Nicobar Command of the Indian Navy had been deployed in the war games, sources said.

The development comes after the June 15 border clash with China in which 20 Indian soldiers died while being in the line of duty.

India had earlier conducted similar exercises with Japanese and French navies last month, sources said.

The passing exercise or PASSEX is expected to continue for the next two days as US navy ships pass through the south side of Andaman Nicobar Islands, sailing from Malacca Straits and is on its way to the Persian Gulf.

The US Navy has just completed a deployment in the South China Sea which, which was frowned upon by China, as it was seen as a show of strength against Chinese expansionism in the region.

India is looking at strengthening its military diplomacy through the Navy to take on Chinese expansionism in the waters. In the next edition of the Malabar exercise, that includes navies of the US, Japan and Australia is likely to join India for war games.