Article Posted on : - Jul 24, 2014

The aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) and ships from the Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group and the Indian navy transit the Pacific Ocean during exercise Malabar 2011. Photo: US Navy.

NEW DELHI (PTI): Ignoring Chinese objections, the navies of India, the US and Japan will begin their Malabar-series of naval wargames in the Pacific Ocean from Thursday.

China had in the past raised objections over the participation of Japan and other countries in the Malabar series naval drills held mainly between India and the US. The last exercise involving Japan was held in 2009.

The "highly complex" naval wargames in the Pacific Ocean in the area adjacent to the East China Sea would involve the US Navy's latest aircraft carrier USS George Washington, a nuclear submarine whereas India is taking part with three of its warships, Navy officials said.

The Japanese Maritime Self Defence Forces have chipped in with their two destroyers, Kuriama and Ashigara, along with the US-2 amphibious warfare planes, which are on offer to India also, they said.

The naval wargames will begin with the harbour phase of drills in Sasebo city of Japan and then move to high seas in the Pacific Ocean for the sea going phase of the drills.

India has sent it three warships including INS Ranvijay and Shivalik along with fleet support tanker ship INS Shakti.

India and the US have held 17 editions of the Malabar-series wargames since 1992 and had involved Japan along with Australia and Singapore in 2007 in the Pacific Ocean after which the Chinese government raised objections.

India had stopped involving others but last year after the visit of Indian Prime Minister to Japan and the reciprocal visit by the Japanese Prime Minister, India agreed to have Japan in these drills.

The three Indian warships taking part in the wargames earlier held exercises with the Russian Navy in Vladivostok last week.