The Australian Navy joins Indian, Japanese, and U.S. warships in the Indian Ocean for the annual Malabar Joint Military Exercise. The exercises, which begin Tuesday (Nov. 3), mark a growing convergence of strategies among the four nations and growing concerns about China’s assertive behavior in Asia.
India’s decision to invite Australia to join the annual military exercise follows Washington’s push for “quadripartite talks” to deepen security collaboration. The informal group, which aims to counter China, includes the United States, Japan, Australia, and India.
Australia returns to the Malabar exercises after 13 years, having faced strong opposition from China when it participated in 2007. However, analysts believe that the Malabar exercises will continue this time as all four participating nations seek a long-term counterbalance to China’s strategy.
Sreeram Chaulia, dean of the School of International Affairs at India’s O.P. Jindal University, said, “China coaxed various member states to withdraw in 2007 and effectively undermined the effectiveness of the exercises. ” “But this Malabar exercise is not going to shrink because the next 10 years will be very different – all four countries now feel much more threatened by Chinese power than before, so the military exercises will continue in the future.”
The first phase of the exercise, which is underway in the Bay of Bengal, includes simulated combat as well as combat rehearsals and will run through Friday. The second phase of the exercise will take place in the Arabian Sea in mid-November.
In a statement Monday, the Indian Navy said, “In view of the neo-crown virus outbreak, the exercise is being conducted on a ‘no contact, sea only’ basis. The exercise will demonstrate a high degree of collaboration among friendly navies, based on shared values, commitment to an open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region, and a rules-based international order,” the Indian Navy said in a statement Monday.
Exercise Barabal began as a bilateral exercise between India and the United States in 1992 and was expanded in 2017 to include Japan as a permanent member. Other countries have also participated occasionally.
Australia has wanted to return to the exercise for some time. Analysts say that India has been hesitant to invite Australia to participate for fear of annoying China.
But India’s six-month-long border conflict with China in the Himalayas has prompted India to take a more assertive stance and work with the “quartet” of countries. Analysts say this year’s Malabar exercises will help unite the Quartet. Washington has been trying to promote this strategy since 2017.
Senior U.S. officials have welcomed India’s decision. Following the signing of a U.S.-India military agreement last week, U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said in New Delhi: “India’s recent decision to invite Australia to join the U.S., Indian, and Japanese forces in the Malabar Naval Exercise reflects recognition of the importance of multilateral cooperation to address global challenges.
China slams ‘quadrilateral talks’. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said last month that the Quadripartite Talks were aimed at “promoting long-outdated Cold War thinking and provoking bloc confrontation and geopolitical games.
In addition to the recent India-China border dispute, India has also been closely watching China’s increasing investment and influence expansion in recent years in Indian Ocean countries such as Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. The Indian Ocean is an important strategic waterway through which 70 percent of global trade passes.
According to Chhariya, an Indian scholar of international affairs, Australia’s participation in the Malabar exercises has “multiplied the power” of the military. In Australia’s absence, Malabar was confined to a smaller maritime space,” he says. But with the addition of another navy, the area covered by the Malabar exercises has expanded. This navy has the ability to project its military capabilities beyond its traditional domain and can operate more westward towards the Indian Ocean.”
Analysts say Canberra has pledged to spend billions of dollars to expand its military force as it says it is facing regional challenges. Australia’s diplomatic relations with China have deteriorated this year.
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