Second phase of Malabar Exercise begins in Northern Arabian Sea

The second phase of Exercise Malabar 2020 will begin on November 17, 2020 in the Northern Arabian Sea.

Highlights

The second phase of the exercise takes forward the synergy that was achieved in the Phase One of Exercise Malabar 2020. Phase one of the exercise was between November 3, 2020 to November 6, 2020. The second phase of the exercise would involve the coordinated operations between the navies of Australia, India, Japan and the United States.

About Phase second

The Navies of India, Japan, Australia and US are participating in the second phase of Malabar Exercise. This is the first time that the four countries are participating in any large war-game naval exercise. Phase second of the Malabar exercise would comprise of the joint operations. It will be centered around the Vikramaditya Carrier Battle Group of the Indian Navy and Nimitz Carrier Strike Group of the US Navy. The two carriers namely the submarines and aircraft along with the other ships of the participating navies, will be engaged in naval operations for four days. The exercises further include cross-deck flying operations and advanced air defence exercises by MIG 29K fighters of Vikramaditya, F-18 fighters and E2C Hawkeye from Nimitz. The other exercises of the second phase include anti-submarine warfare, advanced surface warfare, weapon firings and seamanship evolutions.

Participants from Indian Side

In the second phase, INS Vikramaditya will participate. Apart from it, helicopter air-wings,  fleet support ship Deepak, stealth frigate Talwar , integral helicopters and indigenous destroyers Chennai and Kolkata  will also participate in the exercise. Indigenously built P81, maritime reconnaissance Poseidon and submarine Khanderi are among others to participate.

Participant from US side

From US side, Carrier Nimitz will participate. It would be joined by destroyer Strett and cruiser Princeton. The P8A maritime reconnaissance aircraft of the US will also be the part of it.