Article Posted on : - Jul 23, 2015

NEW DELHI (PTI): Senior military officials from India, US and Japan on Wednesday met at an American Navy base in Yokosuka, near Tokyo to plan the upcoming Malabar Naval exercises in which the Japanese Navy will be participating.

Defence sources said the two-day meeting was an "initial planning conference" to work out the modalities for the exercises which will be held in the Indian Ocean in October.

'Malabar' is an annual naval training exercise conducted by Indian and American Navies, which includes fighter combat operations from aircraft carriers and other manoeuvres.

Japan had last taken part in the Malabar hosted by India in 2007. However, a strong reaction from China against the inclusion of Japan and Australia in 2007 led to the exercises being largely kept bilateral.

However, the Indian government has now invited Japan to be part of the exercises along with the US.

Sources told PTI that the meeting will decide the kind of naval assets that will be deployed during the exercises in the Bay of Bengal.

"There is likely to be at least one another round of meeting on the same," the sources said.