The Malabar Exercise 2017 among the naval forces of India, Japan and the United States began here on Monday.

Amid increasing rhetoric between India and China over the border standoff, the Malabar Exercise 2017 among the naval forces of India, Japan and the United States began here on Monday.

A senior U.S. Navy officer said the U.S. participation in the exercises indicated the country’s interests in maritime security in the region, even as the Chinese government hoped that the Malabar Exercise was not targeted at any specific country.

Enhancing bonhomie

Senior officers of the three navies denied that the exercise was aimed at China. Vice-Admiral H.C.S. Bisht, Flag Officer Commanding-in- Chief, Eastern Naval Command, said, “Malabar is not to send a message to any specific country. The underlying theme of Malabar is to understand each other’s standard operating procedures and each other’s ways of working better, to enhance camaraderie and bonhomie.”

“As far as the United States Navy is concerned, we see India as a regional and global power and therefore India should have a regional and global link,” Rear Admiral William D. Byrne Jr., Commander, Carrier Strike Group 11, said a press conference on board INS Jalashwa at the Chennai port.

Maritime security

“The strength of the Navy is important to us because the United States has interests in the Indian Ocean and our participation in Malabar’17 and past Malabars indicate our interests in maritime security in the Indo-Asia Pacific region,” Rear Admiral Byrne said.

He said the strategic message to China from this exercise would be the same that “we are sending to Canada, the Republic of Korea, or to Australia and that is — operating in the sea together is a good thing.” He also said that this exercise would be a great example for the whole world.

Pointing out that this was the 21st edition of such an exercise, Vice-Admiral Bisht said the planning for the current one began a year ago.

“The standoff [in Sikkim] that you are talking of has nothing to do with Malabar. This exercise is meant for enhancing interoperability, mutual confidence, sharing of best practices … therefore, we should not read too much into it,” he said.

The exercise, he said, would be a deterrent for those with nefarious designs and non-state actors, but primarily it was to enhance interoperability and mutual understanding.

95 aircraft, 16 ships

Earlier, Admiral Hiroshi Yamamura of the Japanese Maritime Defence Forces, said it was a unique opportunity to enhance their operational capability in the Indian Ocean.

Malabar 2017 is one of the largest joint exercises to be held in the region. It will feature more than 95 aircraft, 16 ships and two submarines, from the three countries.

The exercise will also see a wide range of professional interactions during the harbour phase in Chennai which began on Monday and will go on until Wednesday.

The sea phase will see a large number of operational activities between July 14 and 17.

The sea phase includes submarine familiarisation, air defence, medical evacuation drills, surface warfare, communication exercise, and search and rescue operations.

“The thrust of the exercise at sea this year would be on aircraft carrier operations, air defence, anti-submarine warfare (ASW), surface warfare, visit board search and seizure (VBBS), joint manoeuvres and tactical procedures,” a press release said.

The Indian Navy will feature its aircraft carrier, INS Vikramaditya, with its air wing, guided missile destroyer Ranvir, and its stealth frigates and corvettes, including one Sindhughosh class submarine.

The U.S. Navy will feature ships from the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group and other units from the U.S. 7th Fleet. The nuclear-powered warship USS Nimitz will also take part.

The Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force will be represented by JS Izumo, a helicopter carrier with SH 60K helicopters and JS Sazanami, a missile destroyer with SH 60K integral helicopter.