India invites Australia for Malabar exercise with US and Japan later this year

The Malabar series of Naval exercise is expected to be held in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea later this year, said the Defence Ministry on October 19. The Malabar exercise, which started as a bilateral Indian Navy-US Navy exercise, will witness the inclusion of Australian Navy for the first time in 2020. India, Australia, US, and Japan will participate in the Naval exercise, featuring all members of the Quad group.

Defence Ministry said in a statement that the Australian Navy has been invited to the exercise in the light of increase defence cooperation with Australia. It further stated that India seeks to increase cooperation with other countries in the maritime security domain. On the backdrop of coronavirus pandemic, Malabar 2020 has been planned on a ‘non-contact - at sea’ format.

“The participants of Exercise Malabar 2020 are engaging to enhance safety and security in the maritime domain. They collectively support free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific and remain committed to a rules based international order,” the statement read.

Read: US Warns China Against Attacking Taiwan, Suggests Island To Increase Defence Budget

Read: US Fears Cambodian Naval Base Could House Chinese Military Assets: Reports

Focus on free and open Indo-pacific

The Malabar series of Naval exercise started in 1992 as a bilateral Indian Navy-US Navy exercise and Japan it in 2015. This annual exercise was conducted off the coast of Guam in the Philippine Sea in 2018, off the Japanese coast in 2019. The exercise is aimed at strengthening the coordination between the Navies of the participating countries as they intensify their commitment for a free and open Indo-pacific.

Earlier this month, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that Quad partners, including India, need the United States as their ally to present a “true resistance” to the Chinese threat. The inclusion of Australia in Malabar exercise is considered as a major upgrade for Quad grouping as the partners recently agreed to reinforce a rules-based, free and open international order through cooperation.

Read: Bongosagar Exercise: India, B'desh Hold Second Edition Of Naval Drills In Bay Of Bengal

Read: India-Bangladesh Naval Forces To Hold Exercise Bongosagar In Bay Of Bengal