DTN News - MALABAR 2012: Delhi Scales Down US War Games - Air force Request To Join Exercise With American Navy Turned Down

DTN News - MALABAR 2012: Delhi Scales Down US War Games - Air force Request To Join Exercise With American Navy Turned Down
Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Sujan Dutta - The Telegraph Calcutta
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - April 29, 2012: The Centre recently turned down an air force request to participate in the war games with the US navy in the Bay of Bengal that concluded last week.

The seven-day Malabar 2012 exercise involved the American and Indian navies.

The Centre’s move followed a quiet policy decision in the defence ministry to scale down — but not stop — the friendly military engagements with the US armed forces, which have gathered pace and increased in complexity over the past decade.

The defence ministry is wary of the “hype” that the US builds around joint military exercises with India.

Among the most important of the war games that the Indian and US forces conduct is the Malabar series involving the two navies. An air force component is integral to the exercises because the US deploys a carrier battle group.

The Malabar exercise in 2007 in the Bay of Bengal involved the armed forces of five countries and was easily the largest international war games that India has hosted. The exercise involved three aircraft carriers and the Indian Air Force (IAF).

That drill irritated the Chinese so much that Beijing asked New Delhi if it was forging a military alliance against it.

For this year’s Malabar exercise, based out of Chennai, the US deployed the Carrier Strike Group-1 with the Nimitz-class carrier USS Carl Vinson in the lead. The US also deployed a Los Angeles-class nuclear submarine.

When the IAF asked to be part of the exercise, the ministry turned down the request. While it was reworking its proposal, air headquarters communicated its desire to naval headquarters.

The navy was of the view that involving the air force would require a change in the “Con Ops” (concept of operations).

The air force wanted to deploy its Shamsher (Jaguar) fighter-bombers that are assigned to the maritime strike role. The IAF’s Maritime Air Operations are headquartered in its southern command.

After the navy told the IAF that it was too late to change the “Con Ops”, the air force wanted a separate exercise with the US navy, the second-largest air force in the world. The USS Carl Vinson alone carries 85 aircraft in its hangars and flight deck.

The highlight of the seven-day Malabar 2012 in the absence of complex maritime-aerial drills was the refuelling in high sea of the USS Carl Vinson by the Indian Navy’s new Italy-built feeder vessel, the INS Shakti. India also deployed the INS Satpura, the indigenously built stealth frigate commissioned earlier this year.

The Carrier Strike Group-1 included, apart from the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Bunker Hill and the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Halsey (DDG 97).

It also deployed the Military Sealift Command fast combat support ship, the USNS Bridge. The Indian assets included the frigate INS Satpura, destroyers INS Ranvir and INS Ranvijay (D55), and the corvette INS Kulish along with the replenishment oiler INS Shakti.

The exercise took place in approximately 450 nautical miles of sea and air space. The INS Satpura led one group and the USS Bunker Hill another.


*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Sujan Dutta - The Telegraph Calcutta
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DTN News: Naval Drill By Indian Navy In Bay Of Bengal

DTN News: Naval Drill By Indian Navy In Bay Of Bengal *Source: DTN News / Int'l Media (NSI News Source Info) KOLKATA, India - January 26, 2010: The Indian Navy organized a program called 'A day at Sea' to showcase their sea craft skills. Indian Naval War Ships show the Close Range Anti Aircraft firing, lead by the ship INS Jalashwa, during a demonstration, around 45 nautical miles away from Chennai at an undisclosed place in Bay of Bengal, India,An Indian Coast Guard commando shows his skills of Search and Rescue Operation, around 45 nautical miles away from Chennai at an undisclosed place in Bay of Bengal, India.A surface-to-air missile is fired from the Indian naval warship 'Rana' during an exercise in the waters of Bay of Bengal in the southern Indian city of Chennai January 24, 2010. The Indian Navy showcased a variety of operations undertaken by them in all three dimensions of air, surface and sub-surface, according to a media release on Sunday.

No Plans For Military Base In Bangladesh: US

No Plans For Military Base In Bangladesh: US

(NSI News Source Info) Dhaka - February 9, 2009: The US has expressed its willingness to assist Bangladesh in maritime patrol and secure its unprotected territorial sea lanes, but has said that it has no plan to set up a military base. Richard Boucher, the US assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asia on Sunday clarified this point while winding up his two day visit here. Boucher told the media: "I think there are some interests in maritime patrol so you can protect your sea areas better. We can help their (border security agencies') activities but the modalities will depend on what Bangladesh wants." The Bangladesh Navy originally under Bangladesh Forces was created during the Bangladesh War of Independence in 1971 against Pakistan. Its official creation was established in July 1971 during the historic Bangladesh Sector Commanders Conference. In 1971, with West Pakistan imposing a military rule in East Pakistan, the Bangladesh War of Independence also known as Bangladesh Liberation War was truly underway. Many Bengali sailors and officers in the Pakistan Navy defected to form the Bangladesh Navy. On 9 November 1971, the first naval fleet consisting of six small ships was inaugurated. Initially, there were two ships and 45 navy personnel. These ships tried to carry out raids on the Pakistani fleet and later were mistakenly hit and sunk by Indian fighter planes on December 10, 1971. A major attack was launched on Mongla seaport. According to official figures from Bangladesh Navy, a total of 334 sailors were involved with the newly created navy with 22 being killed. These sailors were mostly Pakistan Navy trained divers who were absorbed into regular navy after the war ended. He brushed off a suggestion that the US might be planning to set up a military base in Bangladesh. "We do not have any intention for a permanent presence (in Bangladesh)," New Age quoted him as saying on Monday. A military base is a sensitive issue in Bangladesh and it goes back to the cold war era. Boucher said: "The US has a lot of cooperation with different countries, different governments and different agencies. Some are with civilian agencies, like police, and some are with military agencies." Boucher, who interacted with Bangladesh's top leadership, including opposition leader Khaleda Zia, ended his visit even as Dhaka, in the midst of diplomatic activities, prepared to receive Indian Minister for External Affairs Pranab Mukherjee. Mukherjee is due in Dhaka later on Monday. Boucher said his talks explored areas of cooperation between the new governments in Dhaka and Washington headed by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and President Barack Obama. The US official identified new areas like climate change, agriculture and health-care and assured continuation of US support to Bangladesh. The issue of cooperation in marine patrols came in the backdrop of a row over oil and gas exploration between Myanmar and Bangladesh in waters claimed by Dhaka in the Bay of Bengal. Both Bangladesh and Myanmar have deployed warships in the Bay of Bengal to establish their claims. Diplomatic efforts involving China and South Korea by Bangladesh's then military-backed government of Fakhruddin Ahmed apparently put to an end the row. There was a stand-off with India last November when Bangladesh Navy confronted an Indian survey ship backed by a naval vessel. The row was sorted out through diplomatic talks.

DTN News: Bangladesh Mobilizes Warships Over Gas Tensions

DTN News: Bangladesh Mobilizes Warships Over Gas Tensions (NSI News Source Info) DHAKA, Bangladesh - November 3, 2008: Bangladesh mobilized three warships and said it would take "all possible measures" to protect its territory Nov. 3 after accusing neighboring Myanmar of encroaching on its seawaters to hunt for gas. Bangladesh will also send a high-level delegation to Myanmar to "defuse" tensions between the two countries, according to a statement issued by the foreign ministry. The Bangladesh Navy originally under Bangladesh Forces was created during the Bangladesh War of Independence in 1971 against Pakistan. Its official creation was established in July 1971 during the historic Bangladesh Sector Commanders Conference 1971. In 1971, with West Pakistan imposing a military rule in East Pakistan, the Bangladesh War of Independence also known as Bangladesh Liberation War was truly underway. Many Bengali sailors and officers in the Pakistan Navy defected to form the Bangladesh Navy. On 9 November 1971, the first naval fleet consisting of six small ships was inaugurated. Initially, there were two ships and 45 navy personnel. These ships tried to carry out raids on the Pakistani fleet and later were mistakenly hit and sunk by Indian fighter planes on December 10, 1971. A major attack was launched on Mongla seaport. According to official figures from Bangladesh Navy, a total of 334 sailors were involved with the newly created navy with 22 being killed. These sailors were mostly Pakistan Navy trained divers who were absorbed into regular navy after the war ended.* Bangladesh's foreign minister Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury said he had warned Myanmar's envoy to Dhaka that "all steps would be taken to protect the sovereignty and territory of Bangladesh." The Bangladesh Navy warships took up position near disputed waters in the Bay of Bengal to face off with the Myanmar exploration fleet, top navy officials told an AFP correspondent in southeastern port city of Chittagong. "Myanmar navy deployed four civil ships with survey team and equipment of a Korean exploration company at the front side at the disputed waters backed by its two warships from behind," an official said. "We are observing the situation and have urged Myanmar navy to pull back their ships in a bid to ease tension," said a navy official. "We are on high alert." On Nov. 2, Bangladesh summoned Myanmar's envoy to hand over a "strong protest note" over the reported intrusion of vessels to look for oil. The area in question has not been demarcated and both countries claim it as their own. The Myanmar embassy in Dhaka said it had no official comment. Myanmar has discovered huge reserves of natural gas in the Bay of Bengal and has expressed its intention to carry out further exploration in a stretch of the sea also claimed by Bangladesh. The two countries have held a series of meetings in the past year aimed at resolving the disputes over the maritime boundary, including a meeting last month in Dhaka of senior ministers from both countries. Early this year Bangladesh divided its sea territory into 28 blocks and auctioned off the area to international oil companies as part of its efforts to end chronic gas shortages in the once gas-rich country. Myanmar immediately protested the move. Meanwhile, Bangladesh's border security forces said that four Bangladeshi woodcutters were killed after trespassing into Myanmar. Colonel Naim of Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) told AFP the woodcutters' mutilated bodies had been found late Nov. 2 by relatives two kilometers (1.2 miles) inside Myanmar at the foot of a hilly pass. The two countries share a 90-kilometre unfenced border along hilly and porous terrain. "We don't know whether they were killed by the Myanmar border forces or local people from Myanmar, but it appears that the four bodies had been tossed over a hill about 1,000 feet (300 meters) high," said Naim, who uses only one name. He said the bodies were badly disfigured and officials in Bangladesh would be contacting border forces in Myanmar as part of their investigation into the killings. "We have never had such deaths along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border before," he said.