Asahi and Mainichi reported on the MSDF announcement on Thursday that an MSDF frigate will join a naval parade organized by the Indian Navy in early February and that on its way to India, the ship plans to take part in a joint drill with U.S. and Australian Navy warships. Asahi wrote that the planned maritime training is intended to play up trilateral defense cooperation prior to the Indian event in which some 50 countries are expected to participate.