The naval forces of India and Japan initiated an intensive air anti-submarine warfare exercise in the Indian Ocean on 29 October 2017. The exercise will conclude on 31 October 2017.
The exercise would witness participation from a P-8 I Long Range Maritime Reconnaissance Anti Submarine Warfare aircraft of Indian Navy and two P-3 Orion Anti Submarine Warfare aircraft of Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMDSF).
The P-3 Orion aircraft reached the Naval Air Station INS Hansa in Goa on 29 October for the exercise.
Background
• The exercise is happening at a time when the presence of Chinese ships and submarines in the Indian Ocean has increased.
• Maritime security and freedom of navigation has also figured prominently in India's recent bilateral and multi-lateral defence dialogues.
• India and Japan, along with US had also focused on anti-submarine warfare in the trilateral exercise Malabar, which took place in July 2017.
• Maritime security was also a key subject during interactions between Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and French Defence Minister Florence Parly, as well as with US Defence Secretary James Mattis during their recent visits.
• It was also the focus when then Defence Minister Arun Jaitley went to Japan for a bilateral defence dialogue in September.
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