India to join US, Japan, Australia navies in Malabar exercise from Nov 3

New Delhi, Oct 31: With an aim to counter China in the Indo-Pacific region, the 24th edition of the Malabar naval exercise will take place in two phases in November that will see the participation of the Indian Navy (IN), United States Navy (USN), Japan Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF), and Royal Australian Navy (RAN).

 

 

According to the official statement issued by the Indian Navy, the exercise will start from Visakhapatnam in the Bay of Bengal from November 3 to 6. "Phase-1 of Malabar 20 will witness the participation of Indian Navy units with USN Ship USS John S McCain (Guided-missile destroyer), RAN Ship HMAS Ballarat (long-range frigate) with integral MH-60 helicopter, and JMSDF Ship JS Onami (Destroyer) with integral SH-60 helicopter," read the statement.

 

The Indian Navy participation in phase 1 will be led by Rear Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan, Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet."Indian Navy units participating in the exercise include destroyer Ranvijay, frigate Shivalik, Off Shore Patrol Vessel Sukanya, Fleet Support Ship Shakti and submarine Sindhuraj. In addition, Advanced Jet Trainer Hawk, long-range maritime patrol aircraft P-8I, Dornier maritime patrol aircraft, and helicopters will also be participating in the exercise," the official statement said.

 

The Indian Navy said that the exercise, being conducted as a 'non-contact, at sea only' exercise in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, will showcase the high-levels of synergy and coordination between the friendly navies, which is based on their shared values and commitment to an open, inclusive Indo-Pacific and a rules-based international order.

 

Malabar 2020, the first phase would witness complex and advanced naval exercises including surface, anti-submarine and anti-air warfare operations, cross deck flying, seamanship evolutions and weapon firing exercises. Meanwhile, the second phase of the mega exercise is scheduled to be held from November 17 to 20 in the Arabian sea.

 

Earlier, the annual exercise was conducted off the coast of Guam in the Philippine Sea in 2018 and off the coast of Japan in 2019. Malabar series of maritime exercises commenced in 1992 as a bilateral IN-USN exercise. JMSDF joined Malabar in 2015. The 2020 edition will now witness the participation of the Australian Navy in this joint maritime exercise.

 

Last week, India announced that Australia will be part of the Malabar exercise which effectively makes it a drill by all four member nations of the Quad or Quadrilateral coalition.

 

The invitation by India to the Australian Navy for the exercise came two weeks after foreign ministers of the 'Quad' member nations held extensive talks in Tokyo with a focus on enhancing their cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.