26th edition of the Malabar naval exercise begins off the Japanese island of Yokosuka

Tags: Defence

The 27th Malabar naval exercise 2022 featuring the navies of all four Quad countries India, the US, Australia and Japan began on 9 November 2022 off the Yokosuka island of Japan near the East China Sea.

Indian Naval ships INS Shivalik and INS Kamorta are participating in the 10-day exercise being hosted by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF). The Japanese Navy is called the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.

The Indian Naval chief R Hari Kumar witnessed the opening ceremony of the Malabar exercise.

The opening ceremony of the exercise was attended by Commander of Indian Navy's Eastern Fleet Rear Admiral Sanjay Bhalla, Commander in Chief of Self Defense Fleet of Japanese Navy Vice Admiral Yuasa Hideki, Commander of US Navy's Seventh Fleet Vice Admiral Karl Thomas and Commander of Australian Fleet Rear Admiral Jonathan Earley.

Background of the Malabar Naval Exercise 

The first Malabar exercise was held between the Indian and the US Navy along the Malabar Coast in Arabian Sea in 1992.

Japan became the permanent partner of the exercise from 2015 onwards.

Australia participated for the first time in 2007 and again in 2020 and 2021.

The 2021 exercise between the four navies was held in the Philippines Sea and also in the Bay of Bengal.