India, US, Japan And Australia Start Naval War Games In Bay Of Bengal
05 Nov 2020
Fuelling from support ship
The navies of India, the US, Japan and Australia on November 3 held a series of complex manoeuvres in the Bay of Bengal, kick-starting the four-day-long first phase of the Malabar naval exercise. The mega exercise is taking place at a time India and China are locked in a nearly six-month-long bitter border standoff in eastern Ladakh. The 24th edition of the Malabar naval exercise is scheduled in two phases this month. It is for first time in more than a decade that the exercise will see the participation of all four Quad countries. Australia is taking part in the exercise after 2007. Take a look at naval war game in photos.
24th Malabar Naval Exercise
The first phase of the 24th edition of Malabar naval exercise commenced in Vishakhapatnam in the Bay of Bengal on Tuesday.
Four Powerful Navies
Malabar naval exercise begins with participation by the Indian Navy (IN), United States Navy (USN), Japan Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF), and Royal Australian Navy (RAN).
Scheduled In Two Phases
The 24th edition of the Malabar naval exercise is scheduled in two phases this month.
First Time In More Than A Decade
It is for first time in more than a decade that the exercise will see the participation of all four Quad countries. Australia is taking part in the exercise after 2007.
Advanced Naval Exercises
The first phase of the exercise will continue till November 6 and will witness complex and advanced naval exercises including surface, anti-submarine and anti-air warfare operations, cross deck flying, seamanship evolutions and weapon firing exercises.
First Phase Of Malabar 2020
The first phase of Malabar 2020 will witness the participation of Indian Navy units with United Stat…
The first phase of Malabar 2020 will witness the participation of Indian Navy units with United States Ship (USS) John S McCain (guided-missile destroyer), Her Majesty’s Australian Ship (HMAS) Ballarat (long range frigates) with integral MH-60 helicopter and Japan Maritime Self Defence Ship (JMSDF) Onami (destroyer) with integral SH-60 helicopter.
Indian Navy
Indian Navy units participating in the exercise include destroyer Ranvijay, frigate Shivalik, offshore patrol vessel Sukanya, fleet support ship Shakti and submarine Sindhuraj.
Non-Contact Exercise
The exercise, being conducted as a “non-contact, at sea only” in view of COVID-19 pandemic.
Malabar Exercises Commenced In 1992
Malabar exercises commenced in 1992 as a bilateral IN-USN exercise. JMSDF joined Malabar in 2015.
Second Phase Scheduled in Mid November
The second phase of Malabar 20 is scheduled to be conducted in the Arabian Sea in mid-November 2020.
Courtesy: Opera News/ indiatimes.com