India, Japan and US Engage in Malabar 2014

Naval forces from India, Japan and the United States will participate in exercise Malabar 2014, July 24 – 30.

The exercise will feature both ashore and at-sea training. While ashore in Sasebo, Japan, training will include subject matter expert and professional exchanges on carrier strike group operations; maritime patrol and reconnaissance operations; anti-piracy operations; and visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) operations.

The at-sea portions will be conducted in the waters south of Japan. They are designed to advance participating nations mil-to-mil coordination and capacity to plan and execute tactical operations in a multi-national environment.

Events planned during the at-sea portions include liaison officer professional exchanges and embarks; communications exercises; search and rescue exercises; helicopter evolutions; underway replenishments; gunnery exercises; VBSS; and anti-submarine warfare exercises.

Three Indian Navy vessels, INS Ranvijay, INS Shivalik and INS Shakti, have entered Port Sasebo, Japan on 23 July 2014 for the exercise.

Two destroyers along with a P3C Orion and a sea-plane (US-2) are participating from the Japanese Navy. From the US Navy one submarine (SSN), two destroyers, one tanker along with one MR aircraft would be participating. One US Carrier Strike group (CSG) is likely to join for the sea phase of the exercise.

Malabar is a yearly exercise between the Indian and U.S. navy and has been going on since 1992 and has featured the Japanese Navy on three separate occasions. Malabar 2014 is the latest in a continuing series of exercises conducted to advance multinational maritime relationships and mutual security issues.