By Our Special Correspondent On Board INS Mumbai-Goa
Daijiworld Media Network
Panaji, Oct 19: World's largest aircraft carrier is amongst the fleet of ships participating in the Indo-US Naval exercises 1,200 nautical miles off-Goa coast.
The Malabar exercises which commenced today as a part of naval cooperation between India and USA will culminate on October 23.
"Inter operability between the nation's navies is required considering the increasing marine trade and issues like piracy," Rear admiral Anil Chopra told reporters on board INS Mumbai.
The exercises will have US Navy represented by Ronald Reagan Strike group including USS Ronald Regan, which is world's largest aircraft carrier which is nuclear powered.
The other ships include USS Chancellorsville, USS Gridley, USS Decatur, USS Thach and USS Bridge, an underway replenishment tanker. In addition, Los Angeles class nuclear powered submarine USS Springfield will make up for American side.
The Indian Navy will be represented by INS Mumbai, an indigenous Delhi class guided missile destroyer, INS Rana, a Rajput class guided missile destroyer and four guided missile frigates – INS Talwar, INS Godavari, INS Brahmaputra and INS Betwa.
In addition, INS Aditya which is an underway replenishment tanker and one Shishumar class submarine, sea harrier fighters, fixed and rotary wing aircrafts are also scheduled to participate in the exercises, officials confirmed.
Rear admiral Chopra stated that Malabar series of exercises has commenced since 1992 and last year there were two such exercises, one in Bay of Bengal and another in the Coast of Japan.
"This time we are in the Arabian Sea where the environment is different," Chopra said.
He said that these exercises includes diverse activities ranging from gun firing and fighter combat operations from aircraft carriers, to combating the scourge of terror, through maritime interdiction operations exercises.
In addition to the navies, Indian Airforce will also participate in the exercises, which will help both the nations to ensure that they know each others' procedures.
The Indian navy will have 2,500 men in uniform while American counterpart has around 6,000 personels, the officers informed.