Exercise Malabar – 2016

Question: Which among the following countries have participated in the recently held Exercise Malabar – 2016?
(a) India, Sri Lanka, and Japan
(b) India, United States and Japan
(c) India, Israel and United States
(d) India, United States and Mongolia
Ans.(b)
Related facts:

• On 10th June 2016 India, Japan and United States (US) Navies started 20th edition of Exercise MALABAR-16. It is a trilateral naval exercise near South China Sea.
• The 20th edition of the exercise, Ex-MALABAR-16 will be conducted from 10th to 17th June 2016 in two phases.
• The harbour phase at Sasebo from 10th to 13th June 2016 and the sea phase in the Pacific Ocean from 14th to 17th June 2016.
• Besides Indian Navy (IN) and the United States Navy (USN), the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) will also participate in the exercise.
• The primary objective of this exercise is to enhance interoperability among the three navies and develop common understanding of procedures for Maritime Security Operations.
• The Indian Navy ships participating in the exercise are from the Eastern Fleet and include INS Sahyadri and INS Satpura,
• indigenously built guided missile stealth frigates, INS Shakti, a modern fleet tanker and support ship and INS Kirch an indigenous guided missile corvette.
• The United States Navy will be represented by ships like CTF 70 of the USN 7th fleet, which is based at Yokosuka, Japan.
• In addition to this, one nuclear powered submarine, carrier wing aircraft and Long Range Maritime Patrol aircraft will also participate in the exercise.
• The Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) will be represented by JS Hyuga, a helicopter carrier with SH 60 K integral helicopters and Long Range Maritime Patrol aircraft, besides other advanced warships for specific parts of the exercise.
• Additionally, the Special Forces (SF) of the three navies will also interact during the exercise.
• Since 1992, Indian and US navies have regularly conducted the annual bilateral exercise. Since 2007, exercise Malabar has been held alternatively off India and in the Western Pacific.
• In 2015, it was conducted off Chennai coast in the Bay of Bengal and included participation of Japan making it trilateral naval exercise.

Reference:
http://indiannavy.nic.in/content/exercise-malabar-2016
http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=146101