NEW DELHI: Describing the recently held Malabar naval exercise with India and Japan as "fantastic", the U.S. today hoped that Indian aircraft carrier Vikramaditya will take part in next year's edition to increase complexities of the war game and for greater interoperability avenues.
The U.S. also said it welcomes India's growing defence capability and its commitment to freedom of navigation.
"This year was fantastic. We all had high level of preparedness and coordination. We have a lot of confidence on how we all operate with regard to Malabar," a U.S. navy official told a select group of reporters here via satellite link from onboard nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan operating in the contentious South China Sea.
Asked if they are keen on having India's Vikramaditya in next year's Malabar naval exercise, another official said "any sort of opportunity linked with cooperation and interoperability will be great."
During this year's drill, the focus was on anti-submarine warfare, search and seizure, besides maritime patrol, helicopter operations and explosive disposal exercise.
The officials said the U.S.' focus has been on increasing their relationship with navies of both India and Japan and "we have accomplished that".
They said it will be too early to say if Australia can be a part of the next year's edition.
Last month, India, Japan and the U.S. had taken part in Malabar exercise near the troubled waters of East China Sea that saw over 100 aircraft and 22 naval ships, including a nuclear submarine, in action.
The exercise assumed significance as it was conducted close to East China Sea at a time of Chinese assertiveness in the region.
It was held close to the uninhabited isles in East China Sea, called Senkaku by Japan, which controls them. However, they are aggressively claimed by China as its Diaoyu islands.
Indian ships, which participated in the exercise, were from the Eastern Fleet and included INS Sahyadri and INS Satpura, indigenously built guided missile stealth frigates, INS Shakti, a modern fleet tanker and support ship and INS Kirch, an indigenous guided missile corvette.
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