New Delhi, Nov 20 (PTI) The navies of India, the US, Australia and Japan on Friday concluded the second phase of the Malabar naval exercise in the Arabian Sea that involved two aircraft carriers and a number of frontline warships, submarines and maritime aircraft.

While the first phase of the 24th edition of the Malabar exercise was conducted in Bay of Bengal from November 3-6, the second phase was conducted in the Arabian Sea from November 17-20, said a statement by the Indian Navy.

Also Read | Tina Dabi and Husband Athar Amir-ul-Shafi Khan to Separate; IAS Couple File Divorce in Jaipur Family Court With Mutual Consent.

The major highlight of the four-day second-phase exercise was participation of Indian Navy's Vikramaditya carrier battle group and the Nimitz strike group of the US Navy.

The USS Nimitz is the world's largest warship.

Also Read | Delhi-Mumbai Train Services to be Suspended? No Decision Has Been Taken, Says Central Railway.

"The two aircraft carriers, along with other ships, submarine and aircraft of the participating navies, engaged in high intensity naval operations including cross-deck flying operations and advanced air defence exercises by MIG 29K fighters of Vikramaditya and F/A-18 fighters and E2C Hawkeye from Nimitz," the statement said.

The Australian Navy deployed its HMAS Ballarat, an Anzac-class frigate while the Japanese Navy had sent its leading destroyer JS Murasame for the exercise.

The mega exercise took place at a time when India and China are locked in an over six-month-long bitter border standoff in eastern Ladakh.

This exercise involved coordinated operations of increasing complexity among the navies of the four countries which are part of the Quad or Quadrilateral Coalition.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)