Many readers might not be aware that the US Navy and the Indian Navy hold annual exercises called Malabar to practice interoperability and in pursuit of common interests. Malabar 2010, the thirteenth in the Malabar series, began on April 23 and will go on until May 2.
Some of the earlier Malabar exercises included warships from the Australian Navy, Japanese Navy, Singapore Navy and took place in the Indian Ocean in proximity of the strategic Straits of Malacca. Malabar 2010 is a bilateral Indo-US exercise in the Arabian Sea.
The focus of Malabar 2010 would be on Anti-Submarine Warfare. Surface Firings, Maritime Operations, Visit Board Search & Seizure, and Submarine Operations, according to the Economic Times of India.
The Economic Times reports that the US Navy will be represented by the ships of the USN 7th Fleet including Cruiser USS Shiloh (CG 67), Destroyers USS Chaffee (DDG 90), USS Lassen (DDG 82), Frigate USS Curts (FFG 38), Los Angeles class nuclear powered submarine, USS Annapolis (SSN 760), two P3C Orion aircraft and a 28-member US Navy Special Forces team.
The Indian Navy will be represented by ships of India’s Western Fleet including INS Mysore, a Delhi Class guided missile destroyer, three guided missile frigates, INS Godavari, INS Brahmaputra and INS Tabar, a Shishumar class submarine, INS Shankush, Sea Harrier fighters, other fixed and rotary wing aircraft.
“Our nations have significant convergence of interests, especially in the maintenance of maritime security,” said a statement released by the Indian Navy.
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