India, the United States, Japan, Australia and Singapore held
combined "Malabar" naval exercises in the Bay of Bengal on
Tuesday.
This biggest-ever war games in the international waters between
Visakhapatnam and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands will end on
September 9. This will also be the first time when 26 warships from
other nations practice not far from the Indian coastline. The last
time such a large flotilla of US warships entered the region was in
1971.
The exercises involve three aircraft carriers, two from the
United States -- USS Nimitz and USS Kitty Hawk -- and one from
India, hundreds of military aircraft, destroyers, frigates and
submarines. Besides the aircraft carrier INS Viraat, India is
fielding maritime Jaguar and Sea Harrier fighters, Tu-142
surveillance planes, Delhi and Kashin Class destroyers, Godavari
and Brahmaputra Class guided missile frigates and a German origin
submarine.
The exercises will involve capsules of anti-piracy, anti-marine
terrorism, air defense, surveillance and interception elements.
(Xinhua News Aency September 4, 2007)
