Sailors from the French Navy frigate Surcouf arrive in Cochin port, India, to prepare for joint military exercises. (March 30, 2021)
France began a three-day joint military exercise with Quadripartite Security Dialogue (QUAD) members the United States, Japan, Australia and India in the Bay of Bengal on Monday (April 5). Analysts say the move is aimed at countering the growing expansion of Communist China’s military activities in the Indo-Pacific region.
The exercise takes place in the Eastern Indian Ocean region from April 5 to 7, 2021,” India’s defense ministry said in a statement. During the three-day maritime exercise, Indian Navy ships and aircraft will be at sea with ships and aircraft of the French Navy, Royal Australian Navy, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and the U.S. Navy.”
The statement added that the exercises include a range of complex and advanced naval operations such as surface warfare, air defense and air defense exercises, weapons firing exercises, cross-deck flight operations, tactical maneuvers and replenishment at sea.
“The exercise will reflect a high degree of synergy, coordination and interoperability between friendly forces.” The statement said, “The Indian Navy’s participation in this exercise demonstrates shared values with friendly forces to ensure freedom of navigation and a commitment to an open and inclusive Indo-Pacific and rules-based international order.”
Australian Defense Minister Dutton welcomed the exercise. He said Australia’s participation underscores the importance of building and maintaining strong naval relationships in the region.
For his part, Australian Task Force Commander Mark Hammond said the military exercises “will demonstrate the complementary capabilities of our partner nations and highlight our shared commitment to stability and security in the Indo-Pacific region.”
NC Bipindra, a defense and strategic affairs analyst and editor of the news site Defence Capital, told Nikkei Asia, “The multilateral military exercises by members of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue mechanism have not gone unnoticed by those who follow this area closely. “
He told Nikkei Asia Review, “It is clear that the Chinese Communist Party will be watching closely what happens on its doorstep. In recent years, the aggressive military activities of the CCP have increased the stakes for all sides in the Indo-Pacific region.”
“This is an indicator of how the geopolitical dynamics in the region will unfold in the future.” Bipindra said, “There are already rumors that the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue mechanism will become the NATO of Asia.”
For his part, Pankaj Jha, a professor of defense and strategic studies at India’s O.P. Jindal Global University, said in an interview with Nikkei Asian Review that the larger goal of the military exercise is to establish ties on two fronts: the Franco-Australian-Indian trilateral mechanism, and the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue Mechanism member states and France in the The Indian Ocean partnership.
A spokesman for the Chinese Communist Party’s Foreign Ministry responded to the news of the countries’ joint military exercises on Tuesday (April 6), saying, “China has always believed that military cooperation between countries should be conducive to regional peace and stability.”
China’s frequent military actions in the Indo-Pacific region in recent days have sparked great concern in the international community. The Chinese Communist Party has recently sent frequent military aircraft to intrude into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone, with Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense saying Monday that 10 Chinese military aircraft had intruded into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone, including one that flew over the strategically important Bus Strait.
The Philippines has also recently spotted more than 200 Chinese vessels moored near Whitsun Reef, which is within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.
According to information released by Japan’s Defense Ministry on Sunday (April 4), the aircraft carrier Liaoning of the Chinese Communist Navy, accompanied by five frigates, sailed through the Miyako Strait toward the Pacific Ocean. Previously, the Liaoning formation has passed through the Miyako Strait several times into the Pacific Ocean for long-distance training.
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