Exercise Malabar

10.10.2024

Exercise Malabar

 Why in the news?   

Recently, the naval fleet exercise Malabar-2024 was flagged off at the Eastern Naval Command (ENC), Visakhapatnam.

About Exercise Malabar:

• It was started in 1992 as a bilateral naval exercise between India and the US Navy.
• The first Malabar Exercise in the Bay of Bengal took place in 2007.
• It was expanded into a trilateral format with the inclusion of Japan in 2015.
• In 2020, the Australian Navy joined the Malabar Exercise, making it a quadrilateral naval exercise.
• It takes place annually in the Indian Ocean and Pacific Oceans alternatively.
• The exercise aims to strengthen cooperation and security in the Indo-Pacific region.
• Malabar 2024 will focus on a broad range of activities designed to enhance cooperation and operational capabilities, including discussions on special operations, surface, air, and anti-submarine warfare through a Subject Matter Expert Exchange (SMEE).
• Complex maritime operations such as anti-submarine warfare, surface warfare, and air defense exercises will be conducted at sea, with an emphasis on improving situational awareness in the maritime domain.
• The exercise will feature participation of various Indian naval platforms, including guided missile destroyers, multi-purpose frigates, submarines, fighter aircraft and helicopters.

                                                                Source: The Hindu

Consider the following statements regarding the Exercise Malabar:

Statement-I:It is a bilateral naval exercise held between India and the US navy.

Statement-II: It is conducted annually in the Indian Ocean and Pacific Oceans alternatively.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

A.Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I.

B.Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I.

C.Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect.

D.Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct.

Answer D