Australian HMAS Ballarat to participate in second phase of Malabar naval exercise

Australian Navy Ship HMAS Ballarat has set sail to participate in Phase II of the quadrilateral Malabar naval exercise in the Arabian Sea. As per the Indian Navy, the Australian ship will be leaving Goa on Friday, November 13. Malabar exercise originally began in 1992 as a bilateral exercise between the Indian Navy and US Navy. In 2015, the Japan Maritime Self Defence Force became a permanent partner of Malabar. 

The official statement read, "The ship was received by officers from Headquarters Goa Naval Area and the Defence Advisor at the Australian High Commission in India. After completing Phase I of quadrilateral Naval Exercise Malabar at the Bay of Bengal, HMAS Ballarat is proceeding to participate in Phase II of the exercise in the Arabian Sea." 

The current edition of Malabar naval exercise comprises two phases this month. As per reports, it will display "high-levels of synergy and coordination" based on their shared values to an open Indo-Pacific and a rules-based international order. 

Read: Malabar Naval Exercise 2020 Concludes; Warfare Drills, Live Weapon Firings Main Highlights

Firsst phase of Malabar Naval Exercise concludes 

The first phase of the 24th edition of Malabar Naval Exercise 2020 in the Indian Ocean concluded on November 6. Starting on November 3 in the Bay of Bengal, Malabar-20 witnessed the participation of navies from the Quad nations. This multinational exercise was conducted as a 'no-contact, at-sea only' exercise in the wake of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. 

For the first time in 2020, all members of the Quad nations will come together for the Malabar Naval Exercise 2020 as the Royal Australian Navy accepted India's invitation to join the exercise. 

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Phase I of the exercise witnessed several other operations including live weapon firings, surface, anti-submarine and anti-air warfare drills along with tactical procedures and joint manoeuvres as the advanced war-at-sea exercise Malabar 2020 concluded.

The naval exercise witnessed the participation of two frigates namely long-range frigate HMAS Ballarat from Royal Australian Navy and frigate INS Shivalik from Indian Navy along with three destroyers - the guided-missile destroyer USS John S McCain from the United States Navy, destroyer JS Onami from Japan Maritime Self Defence Force and  Indian Navy destroyer INS Ranvijay. It also included a fleet support ship INS Shakti, one Offshore Patrol Vessel INS Sukanya along with submarine INS Sindhuraj.

Read: Australia Defence Minister Hails Malabar Exercise As An Opportunity To Secure Indo-Pacific

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(Image Credits: Twitter/@indiannavy)