Second phase in mid-November in Arabian Sea
Amid ongoing tension at the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the Malabar series of naval exercises among the navies of India, the US, Japan and Australia commenced off Visakhapatnam in the Bay of Bengal on Tuesday.
Australia is participating for the first time after India brushed aside China’s objection on its inclusion. Australia was keen to take part in the joint exercise and the US and Japan — the two other Quad nations — also favoured its inclusion.
Held annually, this year’s Malabar exercises will be held in two phases. The first phase is from November 3 to 6 in the Bay of Bengal, while the second phase will take place in mid-November in the Arabian Sea.
The current edition is unique as the Australian Navy is taking part in the exercise for the first time. China all along resisted the Australian participation claiming that the Quad countries are trying to militarise the coalition and pose threat in the Indo-Pacific region. In 2007 Australia was invited for the Malabar event leading to strong protest by China.
The Malabar exercise started in 1992 as a bilateral drill between the Indian Navy and the US Navy in the Indian Ocean. Japan became a permanent participant in the exercise in 2015. The annual exercise was conducted off the coast of Guam in the Philippine Sea in 2018 and off the coast of Japan in 2019.
The 2+2 ministerial level dialogue between India and the US here last week had expressed satisfaction over the Malabar exercise. It will see all the four Quadrilateral countries exercising together for the first time.
Reacting to the beginning of the prestigious exercise, China said it hoped that the exercises would be conducive to the regional peace and stability instead of the contrary.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a media briefing in Beijing “we hope that relevant countries’ military operations will be conducive to peace and stability in the region instead of the contrary”.
The evolving situation in the Indo-Pacific in the wake of China’s increasing military muscle-flexing has become a major talking point among leading global powers.
The US has been favouring making Quad a security architecture to check China’s growing assertiveness in the strategic Indo-Pacific region.
Giving details of the exercise, officials said the 24th edition is scheduled in two phases in November 2020. Phase-1 will see participation of Indian Navy units with US Navy ships USS John S McCain (Guided-missile destroyer), Ballarat (long range frigate) with integral MH-60 helicopter of Australia and Onami (Destroyer) with integral SH-60 helicopter of Japan
The Indian Navy participation in Phase 1 is led by Rear Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan, Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet. Indian Navy units participating in the exercise include destroyer Ranvijay, frigate Shivalik, Off Shore Patrol Vessel Sukanya, Fleet Support Ship Shakti and submarine Sindhuraj. In addition, Advanced Jet Trainer Hawk, long-range maritime patrol aircraft P-8I, Dornier maritime patrol aircraft, and helicopters will also be participating in the exercise.
The exercise, being conducted as a ‘non-contact, at sea only’ exercise in view of Covid-19 pandemic, will showcase the high-levels of synergy and coordination between the friendly navies, which is based on their shared values and commitment to an open, inclusive Indo-Pacific and a rules-based international order.
The first phase will witness complex and advanced naval exercises including surface, anti-submarine and anti-air warfare operations, cross deck flying, seamanship evolutions and weapon firing exercises.
Defence Minister of Australia Linda Reynolds said participation in sophisticated exercises like Malabar not only highlights the strategic trust between the members, but also strengthens our collective ability to contribute to regional security. She also said the exercise gives an opportunity to work in concert with like-minded countries to support a secure, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region.
In a related development, Germany on Monday said its warships will patrol the Indian Ocean from next year to counter growing Chinese maritime presence in the strategically important region for India. This announcement came at a time when Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla held parleys in Berlin to increase cooperation between the two countries in many spheres.
Ahead of his visit, German Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer was quoted in a media report that a German ship will patrol the Indian Ocean next year and the country’s naval presence in the Indo-Pacific will help safeguard the rules-based order. “We hope to be able to deploy next year,” she said.