Malabar 2007: India, United States, Japan, Australia, Singapore Begin Massive 5-Day Naval Exercises

http://www.india-defence.com/reports-3519 ^

[Srirangan]

A multilateral naval drill involving India, the US and three other nations begins in the Bay of Bengal Tuesday, an event that India says is a pointer to the country's growing importance on the world stage.

This is the first time a joint exercise on this scale involving 25 vessels is being conducted off India's eastern seaboard and New Delhi has repeatedly sought to allay apprehensions that the drill had military overtones.

'There is no military alignment. It's only an exercise,' Defence Minister A.K. Antony has said of Malabar-2007 that runs Sep 4-9 and involves the navies of India, the US, Japan, Australia and Singapore.

'Our armed forces exercise with most of the important countries. Every year this is expanding...India's importance is growing. Almost all countries want to engage with us. It's a good thing. It's a recognition of India's prestige and reliability,' the minister maintains.

China, which has not officially commented on the drill, is known to be unhappy over the event as it is being conducted in the Bay of Bengal for the first time. China has been cultivating naval cooperation with Bangladesh and Myanmar to gain access to the Bay of Bengal. China has also been strengthening military cooperation with Sri Lanka.

[Srirangan]

And Commies begin protesting in India..

[Srirangan]

USS Nimitz in the Bay Of Bengal..

[Srirangan]

Japanese defence minister in New Delhi last week:

[familyop]

"And Commies begin protesting in India.."

I'm sure that China's PLA leaders will share their sentiments. The ocean routes--from the Taiwan Strait, around India, all the way to the Panama Canal--might need to be defended in the near future.

[blu]

MalloBars? And no Thailand?????

[JimSEA]

Far away across the ocean, underneath an Indian star
Dwells a dusky little (dark eyed lovely) maiden on the coast of Malabar
In the harbour, where we anchored, I can see her shy and sweet
With a bunch of wine-red roses and the wild waves at her feet

Chorus:
Fare thee well, my little dark eyed queen
Fare thee well, my Indian star
In my heart you'll live forever
On the coast of Malabar

Many a happy night I spent with her, 'neath the palm trees green and tall
Many a happy night I danced with her down in yonder city hall
She would raise her misty little face and gaze across the bay
She would whisper "If you love me, why do you sail away?"

Chorus

Come to me, I hear her calling across the ocean wild and far
Come to me again and love me on the coast of Malabar
And my thoughts keep ever turning to that far-off distant shore
And to that dark eyed girl who loved me, but I'll see her never more

Chorus

Some things never change.

[sukhoi-30mki]

The name ‘Malabar-07’ is a tad inappropriate for these exercises.These exercises are being held on India’s Eastern Sea Front-while the Malabar coast is on the West.

[Wiz]

China seems to have announced concerns about the background of this exercise of the four regional giants (India-US-Japan-Australia), and I can feel China is scared to death. lol

[Patriot Babe]

Is it just me, but doesn’t she look like a Brunette Hilary?

[AmericanInTokyo]

She was a real cutie in her days. Still has a nice shape!

[AmericanInTokyo]

But beware. She is buddies with noneotherthan .... Muhammar Khadafy!

[Axlrose]

Nice to see a healthy military relationship with nations that value freedom and do not prefer socialism. In contrast to the dead alliances with European nations.

[Gengis Khan]

Could this be stronger then the NATO?