3-nation exercise a stern signal to China

Amid mounting tension in the South China Sea region, the navies of the United States, India and Japan will embark on a huge exercise — Ex Malabar-16 — from June 10 to June 17, 2016 where more than 100 aircraft and 22 naval ships will take part.

Sending a strong signal to China and to emphasise “freedom of navigation” patrols besides discouraging possible war-like moves, the three navies will conduct complex surface, sub-surface and air operations with the main aim of enhancing interoperability and to develop common understanding of procedures for Maritime Security Operations. Significantly, the Special Forces (SF) of the three navies will also interact during the exercise.

In consonance with India’s “Act East Policy”, Malabar-16 is also a sign of the strong upswing in cooperation between India, United States and Japan with geo-strategic overtones.

“This is a major naval exercise when you look at the participating platforms. The United States Navy has a carrier and a nuclear submarine plus other assets. The Indian Navy is well-represented by surface platforms and the Japanese Navy (MSDF) by their helo-carrier,” Commodore Uday Bhasker (Retd), a strategic analyst, told this newspaper.

“Regional countries will be monitoring this Malabar with a high degree of interest. More so given the kind of views that were expressed at the recent Singapore conference,” he added.

The exercise will have both ashore and at-sea training. The harbour phase will take place from June 10-13 at Sasebo in Japan’s Kyushu island which houses a US base. The exercises will include carrier strike group operations, maritime patrol and reconnaissance operations, surface and anti-submarine warfare, medical operations, damage control, explosive ordnance disposal (EOD), helicopter operations, and visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) operations.

The at-sea phase will take place in the Philippine Sea from June 14- 17 and will include coordinated operational moves and capacity to plan and execute tactical operations in a multinational environment.

Besides being a vital sea-lane through which a substantial chunk of global trade takes place, the South China Sea is very rich in energy resources and diverse sea life.

While China claims most of the region as its own, the claim is vociferously contested by Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, Indonesia, and Vietnam.

Started in 1992 as an annual affair, Malabar-16 is the 20th edition of the exercise. But what is striking in the latest edition is the massive deployment of war assets.

In a recent report “Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China 2016” to the US Congress, the Pentagon— headquarters of the United States Department of Defense—said: “China demonstrated a willingness to tolerate higher levels of tension in the pursuit of its interests, especially in pursuit of its territorial claims in the East and South China Sea; however, China still seeks to avoid direct and explicit conflict with the United States.”

On the US strategy, the report said: “US will adapt its forces, posture, investments, and operational concepts to ensure it retains the ability to defend the homeland, deter aggression, protect our allies, and preserve a principled regional order founded in international law and norms that benefit all countries equally.”

BOX: Participating Assets

India: Guided missile stealth frigates Satpura and Sahyadri. Shakti, a fleet tanker and support ship. Kirch, an indigenous guided missile corvette. One Sea King 42B ASW helicopter. Two Chetak utility helicopters.

US: Aircraft carrier John C. Stennis (with about 90 aircraft). Guided-missile cruiser Mobile Bay (with embarked helicopters). Guided-missile destroyers Stockdale (with embarked helicopters). USS William P. Lawrence and USS Chung-Hoon (with embarked helicopters). One nuclear powered submarine. Long Range Maritime Patrol aircraft.

Japan: Hyuga, a helicopter carrier and Long Range Maritime Patrol aircraft among other advanced warships.