The Sea Phase of Exercise MALABAR 2024 officially commenced on October 14, 2024, off the coast of Visakhapatnam in the Bay of Bengal. This major multinational naval exercise features warships, embarked helicopters, and long-range maritime patrol aircraft from four key Indo-Pacific nations: Australia, India, Japan, and the United States.
In this phase, the navies of the participating countries will engage in a wide range of advanced maritime warfare operations, covering surface, sub-surface, and air warfare domains. Indian Naval submarines will be a part of the sub-surface warfare exercises, and there will be combined drills of Special Forces from the participating nations.
The Sea Phase is designed to enhance operational coordination and mutual understanding, demonstrating the high level of collaboration among these naval forces. The focus is on developing seamless interoperability between the navies, enabling them to operate as a Combined Task Force. This level of cooperation is key to maintaining security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
Exercise MALABAR 2024, which has grown in scale and complexity, highlights the collective commitment of these nations towards enhancing regional maritime security. The Sea Phase will culminate on October 18, 2024, with the closing ceremony marking the conclusion of this year's edition of the exercise. (PR)