On 6 April 1942 during the Indian Ocean Raid, "Kumano" and "Suzuya" together with destroyer sank the British steamships "Silksworth" (4921 tons), "Autolycus" (7621 tons), "Malda" (9066 tons) and "Shinkuang" (2441 tons) and the American Export Line steamship "Exmoor" (4986 tons). However, one of the E8N floatplanes from "Kumano" was damaged by a Curtiss P-36 Hawk from RAF No.5 squadron based at Cuttack, India. "Kumano" was withdrawn back to Japan, arriving at Kure Naval Arsenal on 27 April. On 26 May, she arrived at Guam to join the escort for the Midway Invasion Transport Group under "Sentai "-7 (Rear Admiral Raizō Tanaka).