India to Host Quad’s Malabar Naval Exercise Amid China’s Growing Presence in South China Sea

New Delhi: In a move to strengthen military ties and demonstrate its commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific, India will host the 28th edition of the Malabar naval exercise with the US, Japan, and Australia in the Bay of Bengal this October. The exercise, which will focus on advanced anti-submarine warfare, is a significant development in the region, given China’s increasing muscle-flexing in the South China Sea and its expanding strategic footprint in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

The Malabar exercise, which began as a bilateral exercise between India and the US in 1992, has evolved into a top-tier event that brings together the four Quad countries to enhance military interoperability and hone war-fighting skills. The exercise will feature complex surface, anti-air, and anti-submarine warfare drills, as well as joint maneuvers and advanced tactical exercises. Defence sources told TOI that there are no plans to invite a fifth country to participate in the exercise at this time.

The Malabar exercise will take place on India’s eastern seaboard and comes on the heels of India’s decision to host its first-ever major multi-nation air combat exercise, Tarang Shakti, in August-September. The air exercise will see participation from air forces of the Quad countries, as well as other nations like the UK, France, Germany, UAE, and Singapore.

China’s aggressive behavior in the South China Sea, where it has been strong-arming its neighbors with expansionist territorial claims, has raised concerns among many countries. Beijing has been building artificial islands and deploying its warships and submarines in the region. China’s “grey zone” and “salami-slicing” tactics are also evident along India’s land borders, where it has been making incremental territorial claims.

China’s growing presence in the IOR is another major concern, with Beijing establishing its first overseas base in Djibouti in 2017 and now seeking additional logistical turn-around facilities on the east coast of Africa. Chinese warships have been spotted in the region, and the country is also boosting its underwater domain awareness to operate more efficiently.

India, meanwhile, has been steadily ramping up its military ties with the Quad countries and others, both bilaterally and multilaterally. The country has military logistics agreements with the US, Australia, France, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, and is now negotiating a similar pact with Russia.

Ahead of the Malabar exercise, India’s 6,000-tonne multi-role stealth frigate, INS Shivalik, is participating in the world’s largest naval exercise, RIMPAC, at Pearl Harbour in Hawaii. An Indian submarine, INS Vagir, had also made a long-range deployment to the west coast of Australia last year.

The Malabar exercise is a demonstration of the strong cooperation and shared values among the Quad countries, which is aimed at ensuring a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific. China’s attempts to disrupt this region are a major concern, and the exercise is a significant step towards countering its growing influence.

Historical Context:

The Malabar naval exercise has its roots in the 1992 bilateral exercise between India and the US. Over the years, it has evolved into a top-tier event that brings together the four Quad countries - India, the US, Japan, and Australia - to enhance military interoperability and hone war-fighting skills. The exercise has been a significant development in the region, particularly in the context of China’s growing presence in the South China Sea and its expanding strategic footprint in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

In recent years, China has been increasingly assertive in its territorial claims in the South China Sea, building artificial islands and deploying its warships and submarines in the region. This has raised concerns among many countries, including India, which has been steadily ramping up its military ties with the Quad countries and others, both bilaterally and multilaterally.

The Quad countries have been strengthening their military ties through various agreements and exercises, including the Malabar exercise. The exercise is a demonstration of the strong cooperation and shared values among the Quad countries, aimed at ensuring a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific. China’s attempts to disrupt this region are a major concern, and the exercise is a significant step towards countering its growing influence.

Summary in Bullet Points:

• India will host the 28th edition of the Malabar naval exercise with the US, Japan, and Australia in the Bay of Bengal this October. • The exercise will focus on advanced anti-submarine warfare and feature complex surface, anti-air, and anti-submarine warfare drills, as well as joint maneuvers and advanced tactical exercises. • The Malabar exercise is a significant development in the region, given China’s increasing muscle-flexing in the South China Sea and its expanding strategic footprint in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). • China’s aggressive behavior in the South China Sea has raised concerns among many countries, including India, which has been steadily ramping up its military ties with the Quad countries and others. • The exercise is a demonstration of the strong cooperation and shared values among the Quad countries, aimed at ensuring a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific. • China’s attempts to disrupt this region are a major concern, and the exercise is a significant step towards countering its growing influence. • India has been participating in various international exercises, including RIMPAC, and has military logistics agreements with several countries, including the US, Australia, France, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore. • The country is now negotiating a similar pact with Russia. • The Malabar exercise will take place on India’s eastern seaboard and comes on the heels of India’s decision to host its first-ever major multi-nation air combat exercise, Tarang Shakti, in August-September.