India, US, Japan navies in joint exercises
China warships sail for joint war exercise with Russia
Altogether 95 aircraft, 16 ships and two submarines will take part in the five-day exercises in the Bay of Bengal to forge "deeper" military ties amid growing Chinese assertiveness in the region. The ships include the USS Nimitz, the world’s largest aircraft-carrier. —
As the three-nation Malabar naval exercise got underway in India’s eastern seaboard on Monday, Chinese warships and a supply ship are sailing to take part in the “Joint Sea 2017” Sino-Russian military exercise in St. Petersburg and Kaliningrad slated for later this month, underscoring closer SinoRussian ties.
According to Chinese media reports, very recently, People Liberation Army Navy’s (PLAN) destroyer Hefei, frigate Yuncheng and a supply ship Luomahu were refuelled by another supply ship Gaoyouhu near the Gulf of Aden, while they were en-route to the Baltic Sea via the Suez Canal, the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean before sailing north to the Baltic Sea. The Baltic Sea is one of the regions where the United Statesled Nato countries are facing an increasingly assertive Russian Navy.
While the two countries have been exercising together for “Joint Sea” since 2012, China, in 2016, invited Russia for the naval wargames in the troubled waters of the South China Sea — the first time China involved a second country in the region.
Meanwhile, in the latest edition of Malabar-17, the navies of India, US and Japan are together fielding 16 ships, two submarines and more than 95 aircraft. Besides the primary aim to “increase interoperability amongst the three navies as well as develop common understanding and procedures for maritime security operations”, the thrust of Malabar 17 would be on anti-submarine warfare (ASW), aircraft carrier operations, and joint manoeuvres among other procedures.
The first phase or harbour phase will be held at Chennai from July 10-13, a “diverse range of operational activities” at sea will take place during the sea phase from July 14-17.