The first phase of the Malabar exercise took place in the Bay of Bengal from November 3 to 6 and featured a number of complex drills including anti-submarine and anti-air warfare operations

The Indian Navy on Friday shared photos of advance air operations with MiG-29Ks of Indian Navy and F-18s of the US Navy of the two participating aircraft carriers -- INS Vikramaditya and USS Nimitz, as a part of the Malabar 2020 Phase II exercise.

"MiG-29K's of the IN and the F-18 of the US Navy flew along with the IN's maritime patrol aircraft P-8I and the USN AEW aircraft E2C Hawkeye in seamless coordination," said the Indian Navy.

The second phase of the Malabar exercise began on Tuesday in the Northern Arabian Sea with the participation of Indian Navy aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, the American aircraft carrier USS Nimitz along with other Indian, US, Australian and Japanese warships carrying out 'Malabar-2020' wargames.

The Australian Navy is taking part with its warship HMAS Ballarat and Japan with destroyer JS Murasame. The second phase of the Malabar exercise will be conducted in the Northern Arabian Sea till November 20.

The first phase of the Malabar exercise took place in the Bay of Bengal from November 3 to 6 and featured a number of complex drills including anti-submarine and anti-air warfare operations.

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

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

This exercise is involving coordinated operations of increasing complexity among the navies of the four countries which are part of the Quad or Quadrilateral Coalition, officials said.