Part of: GS Prelims and GS- II – International Relations; GS – III – Defence and security
In news The Quad countries — India, the U.S., Australia and Japan — will carry out the next edition of the Malabar naval exercise from August 26 to 29 off the coast of Guam amid mounting global concerns over China’s growing military muscle-flexing in the Indo-Pacific region.
Indian stealth frigate INS Shivalik and anti-submarine warfare corvette INS Kadmatt arrived in Guam, an island territory of the U.S. in the Western Pacific,
The Malabar-21 will witness high-tempo exercises among destroyers, frigates, corvettes, submarines, helicopters and long-range maritime patrol aircraft of the participating navies.
Senior officials from the Quad nations had held talks on advancing practical cooperation to achieve the goal of a free and open Indo-Pacific.
China has been suspicious about the purpose of the exercise as it feels that the annual war game is an effort to contain its influence in the Indo-Pacific.
About Malabar Exercise
Malabar is an annual military exercise between the navies of India, Japan and the U.S. held alternately in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
The annual Malabar exercise started in 1992 as a bilateral event between the navies of India and the United States.
It was expanded into a trilateral format with the inclusion of Japan in 2015.
This year’s Malabar exercise will see participation from Australia as well.
