New Delhi, Jun 19 (PTI) The trilateral maritime exercise Malabar 2018 involving the naval forces of India, Japan and the US was conducted off the coast of Guam from June 7 to June 16, according to a statement from the US Navy Commander Task Force 70 Public Affairs today.

Initiated in 1992 as an exercise between the US and Indian Navy, Malabar 2018 is the 22nd rendition of the exercise and included the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), a regular participant since 2015.

“The exercise accomplished maritime inter-operability training objectives among the three maritime forces, emphasising high-end war fighting skills, maritime superiority, and power projection,” the statement said.

This is the first year that Malabar was conducted in the Guam operation area. The two-phase exercise took place ashore in Guam and underway in the Philippine Sea, it added.

The United States, Japan and India have a range of common security interests that include maritime security, counter terrorism, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief.

“By doing so, they bolster the shared vision laid out by their respective governments to contribute to overall peace and security in the region,” he statement added.

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