NEW DELHI/COCHIN, 7 October 2003 — India and the United States yesterday kicked off five days of joint naval maneuvers in the Arabian Sea involving at least seven warships and 1,500 military personnel, officials said. The maneuvers, codenamed Malabar 2003, are the largest naval exercise between India and the United States since the countries resumed joint military training last year.
“The joint exercise between the two navies will help enhance and promote regional cooperation,” Edward M. Boorda, captain of the USS Chosin warship taking part in the maneuvers, told reporters.
The USS Fizgerald gunship and the nuclear submarine USS Pasadena supported by the P3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft streamed after the USS Chosin as it cast off from the Malabar coast in the southern state of Kerala to take part in the maneuvers.
They were joined by two Indian guided-missile frigates, a submarine and a war tanker.
“The joint naval exercise will help us in understanding each other’s operating philosophy,” said R. Gaikwad, captain of Indian guided-missile frigate INS Brahmaputra.
The United States and India resumed military exercises after a 39-year hiatus in May 2002 with joint-training of special forces near the northern Indian city of Agra.
Washington slapped military sanctions on India and Pakistan when the rivals conducted nuclear tests in 1998. The sanctions were lifted after both countries promised support for the US-led “war on terrorism” launched following the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.
US defense firms including Lockheed Martin are hoping to sell equipment to India, whose military had long avoided US supplies.
India still relies on its Cold War ally Russia for more than 70 percent of the equipment for its army, air force and navy.
India Procures Deep-Sea Assault Boat From Israel
India has procured an attack boat from Israel which is capable of reaching targets deep in the sea, a senior naval official said in Bombay yesterday.
The T-82 assault boat will join the Indian Navy’s western fleet headquartered in the Arabian Sea off Bombay later this week, the official said on condition of anonymity.
A formal announcement was expected shortly. “It’s a small specific-purpose boat capable of hitting at targets in the sea. It has around 10-15 crew members on board,” the official told AFP.
“The boat travels at a speed more than 40 nautical miles. It is fully loaded with arsenal equipped to attack a target located in the deep sea or near a harbor.”
