On Tuesday, two important military events are set to take place in India—one for the Indian Navy, the other for the Indian Air Force (IAF). One may well be reminded of Pink Floyd’s classic famous and universally applauded song ‘Smoke on the water, fire in the sky’.
On October 8 (Tuesday), the maritime exercise ‘Malabar 2024’ will begin its harbor phase in Visakhapatnam, followed by the sea phase, finally culminating on October 18. It will be the “most comprehensive version of all editions so far, incorporating complex operational scenarios”.
The exercise will see Quadrilateral Security Dialogue or ‘Quad’ countries—India, US, Australia, and Japan—participating with a range of naval assets including the Special Forces commandos of all the four nations.
‘Malabar 2024’ will be of strategic significance in the backdrop of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine and the escalating conflict in Israel’s neigbourhood.
The Indian participation will feature navy ships, including guided missile destroyers, multi-purpose frigates, submarines, fixed wing MR, fighter aircraft and helicopters.
While Australia will join in with HMAS Stuart, an Anzac Class Frigate with its MH-60R helicopter and P8 Maritime Patrol Aircraft, the US will deploy the USS Dewey, an Arleigh Burke-Class Destroyer with its integral helicopter and P8 Maritime Patrol Aircraft. Japan is sending the JS Ariake, a Murasame-class destroyer.
Exercise Malabar began in 1992 as a bilateral naval drill between the Indian Navy and the US but has evolved into a strategic event in a region where the Chinese challenge has increased.
On the other hand, with October 8 being the Indian Air Force Day, the Tambaram Air Force Training Centre in Chennai will see the full strength of the IAF on display. The full rehearsal will take place over the Marina beach.
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The airshow will comprise flyovers by 72 types of aircraft including the Rafale, SU-30, MIGs, Jaguar and Tejas along with the iconic aerobatic teams of Surya Kiran and Sarang helicopters. The aircraft will fly in from IAF bases in Sulur, Thanjavur, Tambaram, Arakkonam and Bengaluru before converging over the East Coast.
In recent years, the venue of the IAF annual airshow on its raising day has shifted from the national capital to Chandigarh (2022) and Prayagraj (2023) to Chennai this year.