Chennai: The Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force ships— JS Izumo (DDH 183) and JS Sazanami (DD1 13) are also part of the 16 ships, 95 aircraft and two submarines deployed in the Bay of Bengal to commence Malabar— 17, the trilateral annual exercise to address maritime challenges.
Top Indian Navy officials on board the five-decked ship, INS Jalaswa, gave out the assurance that, “Malabar-17 is not intended to send a message to any particular country. But we are surveilling”. In a diplomatic context, US Navy Commander, Rear Admiral William D. Byrne, said it is a ‘strategic’ message to not just China, but to other countries too. “The message would also be the same to Canada or to Republic of Korea or to Australia or to any other maritime force,” he said, after the inauguration of 5-day Malabar Naval exercise.
The Indian Flag Officer, Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command, HCS Bisht said that the exercise has nothing to do with the rising tension on the China border. “Malabar exercise will have intense, enriching and professional series of operational interactions,” he said.
The Navy officials from the three countries wiped away rumours of possible sub-marine hunting as they said: “There is no reason for such complex operations now.”
‘Not aimed at global threats’
HCS Bisht noted that the Malabar exercise was planned even before the tension arose at the India-Bhutan-Sikkim border with China.
“The procedure for the Malabar exercise starts a year before and the initial planning takes place six months ahead. The stand-off has got nothing to do with Malabar exercise,” Bisht said.
Bisht reiterated that the joint Naval exercise would focus on “mutual learning”, “sharing of best practices” and enhancing “inter-operability” between the three countries.
To a query on the conduct of Malabar exercise vis-à-vis the situation prevailing around North Korea, the US Commander Byrne said, “There are certainly global threats. Malabar is not focused on any specified threat. It is directed towards three countries India, Japan and US. It is not directed towards any specific country or threat”.
