Naval exercise Malabar gets underway

India's oldest naval exercise Malabar on Wednesday got underway off Yokosuka in Japan involving the navies of the USA, Japan and Australia, during which the Quad navies forces will plot and tackle possible aggressive manoeuvers of China's People’s Liberation Army Navy that is increasingly flexing its muscles in the Indo-Pacific region.

The Malabar series of drills that began as a Indo-US bilateral war game 30 years ago, has of late turned into a Quad exercise in which the four navies hone their skills in order to deal with a possible scenario of the PLAN disrupting the freedom of navigation in the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean and other such adversarial situations.

Malabar 2022 began with an opening ceremony hosted by the Japan’s Maritime Self Defence Force on-board JS Hyuga at Yokosuka. The Eastern Fleet Commander Rear Admiral Sanjay Bhalla, who led the Indian delegation comprising Commanding Officers and the crew of INS Shivalik and INS Kamorta, was present along with other officials.

The bilateral war game that began in 1992, has grown in complexity over the years. This time, the quadrilateral drill will witness high-tempo exercises between participating platforms in multiple domains. Complex surface, sub-surface and air operations, including live firing drills are scheduled during the exercise.

Vice Adm Yuasa Hideki Commander in Chief, Self Defense Fleet JMSDF, Vice Adm Karl Thomas Commander, US Navy Seventh Fleet and Rear Adm Jonathan Earley, Commander Australian Fleet also participated in the inaugural ceremony along with personnel from their respective navies.

Days before the drills, the Indian warships participated in the International Fleet Review at Sagami Bay off Yokosuka to mark the 70th anniversary of the Japan Maritime Self Defence Force. The navy chiefs of the Quad nations also met at Yokosuka to review the security scenario in the backdrop of an increase in patrolling by the PLAN and Russian ships.

The Malabar series of exercises, an official said, was reflective of the commitment of the participating countries to support a free, open, inclusive Indo-Pacific as well as a rules-based international order.