Mega naval war game among India, US and Japan begins on Thursday off coast of Japan

The Malabar naval exercise involving Indian, American and Japanese navies will begin on Thursday off the coast of Japan, amid growing Chinese military muscle flexing in the disputed South China Sea.

During the nine-day exercise, the three navies will conduct complex maritime operations in the surface, sub-surface and air domains with a particular focus on anti-submarine warfare, officials said.

A significant number of aircraft, naval ships and submarines of the three navies will be part of the annual exercise, considered a major war game in the region.

The 23rd edition of the exercise is taking place in the midst of a major standoff between Vietnam and China in the South China sea.

On July 4, Chinese survey vessel Haiyang Dizhi 8, escorted by a large number of ships, began marine seismic surveys near several offshore oil blocks, which according to Vietnam, fall within its exclusive economic zone.

Vietnamese diplomatic sources said the Chinese ships came close to areas where India's ...