The idea is to act as a counterweight to Chinese influence in the region.
New Delhi:
India, US, Japan, and Australia will come together to participate in a joint military exercise, Malabar 2020, which begins on Tuesday in the Bay of Bengal and will be carried out in two phases this month.
The participating navies will represent four democracies of the Indo-Pacific, looking to turn the exercise, in its 24th edition, into a counterweight to Chinese military and political influence in the region.
Coming amidst India’s military standoff with China along the Himalayan border, this year’s Malabar exercise will carry particular significance because of the return of Australia to the grouping after 13 years, indicating a pushback against what is viewed as China’s increasingly aggressive stance.
The Malabar naval exercise is scheduled in two phases: Phase 1 commences off Visakhapatnam from November 3 to November 6, seeing participation from Indian Navy, US Navy, Japan Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF), and Royal Australian Navy (RAN), a press information bureau release has said.
It will witness participation of USS John S McCain (Guided-missile destroyer), Her Majesty’s Australian Ship (HMAS) Ballarat (long range frigates) with integral MH-60 helicopter, and JMSDF’s Onami (Destroyer) with integral SH-60 helicopter.
The Indian Navy will be 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 PIB release said.
It is being conducted as a “non-contact, at sea only” exercise in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, but will showcase high-levels of synergy and coordination between the friendly navies. It will include surface, anti-submarine, and anti-air warfare operations, cross deck flying, seamanship evolutions, and weapon firing exercises.
Phase 2 of Malabar 2020 is scheduled to be conducted in the Arabian Sea in mid-November 2020.
