Navy conducts drills in Andaman & Nicobar signalling China to steer clear of Indo-Pacific

As the relations with China are undergoing a rocky patch due to the border skirmish in Galwan in Eastern Ladakh, the Indian Navy is conducting a crucial naval exercise in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands which dominate the Chinese energy and trade route through the Malacca Strait. India's extensive Naval exercise is a symbolic message to China about our combat readiness in times of adversity and it comes at a time when two of the American aircraft carriers, the USS Nimitz and USS Ronald Reagan are conducting combat exercises in the disputed waters of South China sea to challenge the territorial claim of the communist country in the South China Sea.

Reports state that several Indian warships which include destroyers, frigates, submarines and maritime patrol aircraft have been deployed as a part of the exercise, besides, Boeing P-8i Poseidon anti-submarine warfare aircraft known for it ability to destroy submarines is also participating in the exercise from INS Rajali naval air station in Tamil Nadu's Arakkonam. The warfare aircraft is said to be armed with deadly Harpoon Block-II missiles, MK-54 lightweight torpedoes and rockets.

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The QUAD

India on Thursday said the South China Sea is a "part of global commons" and it firmly stands for the freedom of navigation and overflight in these international waterways, according to PTI. Besides, the trilateral Malabar Naval exercise between the US, India and Japan is just on the verge of being extended to a QUAD with Australia also formally participating in the extensive exercise to counter China's expansionism in the South China Sea. So far, the Malabar exercise has India, the US and Japan [joined in 2015] as permanent members with Australia and Singapore as non-permanent members.

 As per reports, India has withheld the formal invitation to Australia for participation in the Malabar exercise in view of the ongoing negotiations with China along the LAC in eastern Ladakh. If the joining of Australia becomes a reality which seems to be very much likely considering the India-China relations, the formation of Quad will be a comprehensive maritime partnership of the four democracies to counter the Chinese aggression in the Indo-pacific waters.

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