US Senators welcome India's decision to include Australia for Exercise Malabar

A group of US Senators welcomed India’s decision to formally invite Australia for the annual Excercise Malabar for the first time amid China’s rising military and economic assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific. In a letter to Indian Ambassador to US Taranjit Singh Sandhu, the Senators said that the strengthening of Quad,  a strategic alliance formed to ensure peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, has become "increasingly important."

“As the world addresses the fallout caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, China has opportunistically looked to expand its military footprint across the Indo- Pacific,” the letter read.

The Excercise Malabar, which started as a bilateral Indian Navy-US Navy exercise in 1992 and included Japan in 2015, will witness the inclusion of Australian Navy for the first time in 2020. India, Australia, US, and Japan will participate in the Naval exercise expected to held in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea in two phases later this year, featuring all members of the Quad group.

Read: Exercise Malabar 2020: Australia Accepts India's Invitation Amid Tensions With China

Read: India Invites Australia For Malabar Exercise With US And Japan Later This Year

Earlier this week, Defence Ministry said in a statement that the Australian Navy has been invited to the exercise in the light of increased 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.

Call for a coordinated effort

The US Senators said that the United States has signalled its increased commitment to the region with the newly proposed Pacific Deterrence Initiative, which will complement the Asia Reassurance Initiative Act (ARIA) to provide a more robust military presence. However, they added that solitary actions will not sufficiently address these ever-evolving security challenges, calling for coordinated efforts among committed and capable partners. The letter was signed by US Senators David A Perdue, Marsha Blackburn, Chris Coons, John Cornyn, Kevin Cramer, Ted Cruz, Josh Hawley, James Lankford, Kelly Loeffler, Martha McSally, Marco Rubio, Dan Sullivan, Thom Tillis, and Mark Warner.

Read: Pompeo Says 60,000 PLA Soldiers At LAC, Urges QUAD Countries To Hit Back At China's Threat

Read: Pompeo Denounces China's Exploitation, Stresses Importance Of Quad Collaboration

(With ANI inputs)