..:: India Strategic ::. Navy: Indo-US Joint Naval Exercise Malabar-15 Commences

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Editorial

Indo-US Joint Naval Exercise Malabar-15 Commences

Published: October 2015

New Delhi. The 19th edition of Indo-US joint naval exercise MALABAR-15 commenced in the Bay of Bengal October 14, and will go up till October 19.

Along with the Indian Navy and the US Naval Forces, Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) has been participating in the exercise. The last (18th) edition of the exercise was held in the Western Pacific in July 2014 in which JMSDF was invited for the first time to participate in the joint exercise. Since then it has become a trilateral naval exercise.

Initiated in 1992, as a bilateral exercise between the Indian and US Navies, the scope, complexity of operations and level of participation has increased steadily in successive editions of the India-US Malabar Naval Exercise.

The scope of MALABAR-15 includes wide-ranging professional interactions during the Harbour Phase and a diverse range of operational activities at sea during the Sea Phase.

During MALABAR-15, the Indian Navy is represented by INS Shivalik, an indigenous frigate; INS Ranvijay a guided missile destroyer; INS Betwa, an indigenous frigate and INS Shakti, a Fleet Support Ship. In addition, one Sindhugosh class submarine INS Sindhudhvaj, Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft P8I and integral rotary wing helicopters are also scheduled to participate in the trilateral exercise.

The US Navy, at other end, is represented by the ships from Carrier Task Force (CTF) 70 of the USN 7th Fleet, which is based at Yokosuka, Japan. The CTF includes the Nimitz class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, Ticonderoga class Cruiser USS Normandy and Freedom Class Littoral Combat ship USS Forth Worth. Additionally, one Los Angeles class nuclear powered submarine USS City of Corpus Christi, F18 Aircraft from US Carrier Air Wing and P8A Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft are also participating during the event.

The JMSDF is represented by JS Fuyuzuki, a missile destroyer with SH 60K integral helicopter.

MALABAR-15 is part of the process of enhancing naval cooperation among important navies of Indo-Pacific regions which helps in enhancing mutual understanding. Sharing of best practices by the three navies will strengthen their respective capacities and help create better synergies for effective and speedy action to deal with challenges of disaster prevention and relief and maritime safety and security in the Indo-Pacific region for the benefit of the global maritime community.