Malabar Exercise 2020: Quad Navies conclude multi-dimensional exercise in Arabian Sea

The multilateral war-gaming exercise, Malabar 2020 with participation of the navies of India, the US, Australia and Japan concluded on Friday. This exercise in the Arabian sea included the participation of aircraft carriers and a number of frontline warships, submarines and maritime aircraft. As per the statement released by the Indian Navy, the first phase of the 24th edition of the Malabar exercise was conducted in the Bay of Bengal from November 3-6, while the second phase was conducted in the Arabian Sea from November 17-20. 

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Major highlights of Malabar Exercise 2020

The major highlights of the four-day long second-phase of the coordinated patrol exercise was the participation of Indian Navy's Vikramaditya carrier battle group and the Nimitz strike group of the US Navy. The US Nimitz is known to be the world's largest warship. The Australian Navy deployed its HMAS Ballarat, an Anzac-class frigate while the Japanese Navy had sent its leading destroyer JS Murasame for the exercise.

The phase two of the Malabar multilateral naval exercise on Friday witnessed simulated attacks and coordinated firing carried out on a surface target by MiG-29Ks of Indian Navy and F-18s of US Navy. Coordinated practice firings on aerial as well as surface targets were undertaken successfully during the exercise with a high degree of accuracy indicating crew and weapon preparedness of the participating navies.

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Indian Navy on coordinated patrol exercise 

Vice Admiral MS Pawar said, "Malabar 2020 helps us reassure collective commitments to free, open, inclusive and a rules-baed Indo-Pacific region."

Vice Admiral and Deputy Chief of Indian Naby MS Pawar while speaking to ANI said that It has been an honour for the Indian Navy to host the 24th edition of Malabar exercise this year with the highly professional navies of United States, Japan and Australia. 'Coming at a time when the entire world is grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic, Malabar exercise 2020 helps us showcase or combat readiness to tackle any challenge in the maritime domain,' he added. 

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24th Malabar Naval Exercise

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. This exercise is a quadrilateral naval exercise that includes Quad nations- India, United States, Japan and Australia as permanent partners. Singapore has participated in the Malabar exercise as a non-permanent partner in 2007.

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. Malabar 2020 is aimed at 'enhancing maritime safety and security for free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific'.

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