In the midst of the growing border tension with China, India has found a new naval alliance. It has been said from India that Australia will also participate in the upcoming Malabar naval exercises along with the US and Japan.
The joint joint exercises will take place in the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal in November. Actually, India and the US used to do this naval exercise firstly, in the year 2015, Japan joined it while Australia has joined it now.
“India wants to increase cooperation with other countries in the field of maritime security and the Australian Navy’s participation in the Malabar-2020 naval maneuvers will be seen in the backdrop of increased cooperation in the field of defense with Australia,” the Defense Ministry said in a statement. ”
The ministry said, “This exercise will further strengthen coordination among the navies of the countries participating in it.”
The Malabar exercise began in 1992 as a bilateral exercise in the Indian Ocean between the US and the Indian Navy. Japan became a permanent participant of this exercise in the year 2015. Australia had been showing interest in participating in this exercise for the last several years.
India has invited Australia for Malabar exercises, giving a strong message to China. Now in a four-member alliance (Quad) with India, Australia will join this grand exercise with the US and Japan.
This annual exercise was held off the coast of Japan in 2018, off the coast of Guam in the Philippines Sea in 2018 and is expected to be held later this year in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea.
Earlier this year, the Indian Navy practiced with Russia and the Quad countries.
