from daijiworld's special correspondent, on board USS Boxer
Panaji, Oct 29: The joint Indo-US naval exercise Malabar 06 in progress off-goa coast would enter its second phase tomorrow.
"The second phase will have professional exchange between participating navies which will be followed by combat exercises in the third phase starting from November 3," stated Rear Admiral Anup Singh, flag officer commanding western fleet.
Besides Indian Navy and US Navy, presence of Royal Canadian Halifax-class frigate HMCS Ottawa, makes these exercises tri-national exercises. Indian maritime might is displayed with its warships like INS Beas, INS Mysore, INS shakti, INS Ganga, tanking ship INS Gharial, submarine INS Shankush and coast guard ship CGS Samar. America is participating in these exercises with its Boxer expeditionary strike group which includes amphibious assault ship USS Boxer, USCGC Midgett, USS Benfold, USS Dubuque, USS Comstock, HMCS Ottawa, USS Howard and USS Bunker hill.
"This is the ninth bilateral exercise with US in the recent years spelling the growing cooperation between both the countries," Rear Admiral Singh said briefing presspersons along with Capt David S Angood, commander, Boxer expeditionary strike group, Geoffrey Pyatt, deputy chief of mission, US Embassy, Cdr Darren Hawco, commanding officer, HMCS Ottawa and other officials.
Since beginning of Malabar 06 exercise on October 24, both the navies had beaching operations at Ganapati Pulle beach in Konkan coast where Indian army too participated. "Indian Navy's landing ship INS Gharial embarked with 9 sukh LI Army troops also joined the task force Malabar for amphibious landing at Ganapatipulle beach wherein army troops were inserted and it was utilized for beach securing operations," Rear admiral Singh stated.
Singh said that after a three-day stopover at Mumbai and Goa harbour, the last two days would see a war at sea exercise wherein the two forces would carry out various manoeuvres stimulating tactical manoeuvres as in combat.
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