23-10-2020 | 11:02 AM
Australia joins India, US, Japan in the Malabar Exercise 2020
Context
On October 19, 2020, the Indian Ministry of Defense issued a release updating the forthcoming India-U.S.-Japan Malabar trilateral exercises. The release stated that Australia will participate in this year's exercise. This was done in the backdrop of India seeking to increase cooperation in the domain of maritime security with other countries and to increase defence cooperation with Australia. The Malabar exercise will be conducted in the Indian Ocean.
Certain key facts about the Malabar Exercise
The Malabar series of Naval exercises started in 1992 as a bilateral Indian Navy-US Navy exercise.
Japan joined the Naval exercise in 2015.
Malabar exercise is an annual exercise.
The 24th edition of Malabar exercise is delayed due to Covid-19 pandemic and is expected to be held in mid-November.
As India seeks to strengthen cooperation with other countries in the field of maritime defence, Malabar 2020 will see the participation of the Australian Navy in the light of enhanced defence cooperation with Australia.
This year, a 'non-contact - at sea' format has been planned for the exercise.
It will be the 1st exercise since 2017 to include all the 4 nations of the Quad.
In September 2007, the Royal Australian Navy last participated in Malabar. A small Singaporean contingent was also included in this 2007 exercise. However, this grouping was disbanded after Chinese opposed to it.
Australia requested for an observer status in 2017 but it was refused as Australia 's inclusion would send a clear message that the QUAD grouping is aimed at China.
The participants of the exercise collectively endorse the free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific and remain committed to a rule based international order.
Training would focus on the following:
High-end war fighting skill sets
Subject matter expert and professional exchanges
Combined carrier strike group operations
Maritime patrol and reconnaissance operations
Surface and anti-submarine warfare
Medical operations and Damage control
Helicopter operations and visits
Board, search and seizure operations
Significance of the exercise
Australia’s return to the Malabar exercise will show the states’ seriousness for the Quad.
This exercise also becomes significant in the light of tensions between China and the Quad states.
Coordination between the navies of the participating countries will be strengthened by the exercise.
The participants of Exercise Malabar 2020 are engaging to enhance safety and security in the maritime domain.
Naval ships, aircraft and personnel from India, Japan and the US will participate in the Malabar exercises.
The Malabar exercises display the US’s Indo-Pacific approach.
Both ashore and at-sea training will feature the exercise.
