Massive naval drill begins

The navies of the United States, Australia, India, Japan and Singapore have begun a massive naval exercise, codenamed "Malabar", in the Indian Ocean.

Thirty-four ships and submarines from the five countries have joined the six-day exercise, about 100 nautical miles off the Andaman archipelago. "This will perhaps be the biggest ever peace-time joint naval exercise in Asia," Indian navy spokesman Captain Vinay Garg said.

The ships and submarines would take part in anti-piracy manoeuvres, reconnaissance and rescue missions and improve ways of working together, he said. Two super-carriers of the US navy - USS Nimitz and USS Kitty Hawk of the Pacific fleet - will be joined by India's lone aircraft carrier, the INS Viraat, in the exercise. A US nuclear submarine, USS Chicago, is also taking part. The six-day exercise has been fiercely opposed by India's left-wing parties.

In the past, India has held exercises with navies from Britain, France, Russia, Singapore and Vietnam. A tri-nation event involving Brazil, India and South Africa is also due to be held in May 2008.

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