Exercise ‘Malabar’ 2017

On 11 July 2017, India, Japan and the United States commenced the trilateral Malabar naval exercise featuring 95 aircraft, 16 ships and two submarines, seeking to forge “deeper” military ties amid growing Chinese assertiveness in the region. USS Nimitz, the world’s largest aircraft carrier participated in the five-day exercise in the Bay of Bengal, which aimed at “achieving deeper military ties between the three nations. “The 21st edition of the Malabar exercise, conducted ashore and at-sea, assumes significance as it was held at a time when China has become more assertive and the forays by their submarines in the Indian Ocean region have increased.”

Some 95 aircraft, 16 ships and two submarines from the three countries took part in the naval exercise. Besides USS Nimitz (CVN68), guided missile cruise ship USS Princeton (CG59), guided missile destroyers USS Howard (DDG83), USS Shoup (DDG86) and USS Kidd (DDG100), a P-8A Poseidon aircraft as well as a Los Angeles fast-attack submarine took part in the naval drills. Japan Maritime Self Defence Force ships JS Izumo (DDH 183), JS Sazanami (DD1 13) along with INS Jalashwa and aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya also participated in the exercise.

In the picture above, USN Super Hornets fly over INS Vikramaditya with IN MiG-29Ks on the deck, while that below is that of a mixed formation of Super Hornets and MiG-29Ks