WHAT IS MALABAR EXERCISE?

 

It is a multilateral war- gaming naval exercise that was started in 1992. It began as a bilateral exercise between the navies of India and USA.

Two more editions of the exercise were carried out in 1995 and 1996 after which there was break until 2002 in the aftermath of India's nuclear tests.

From 2002 onwards, the exercise has been conducted every year. Japan and Australia first participated in 2007 ,and  since 2014 , India , the US and Japan have participated in the exercise every year.

In 2020 Australia joined the Malabar exercise on India's request in order to contain China in the Indo - Pacific region. For the first time in over a decade , Malabar 2020 saw the participation of all four QUAD members.

It is aimed to support free, open and inclusive Indo- Pacific and remain committed to a rules based international order.

MALABAR 2021

This is the first joint maritime exercise with in the frame work of QUAD in the Western Pacific and apparently aims to frighten China, was hosted by US.

SIGNIFICANCE

• Enhance strategic partnership; Such complex exercises have further enhanced synergy and mutual understanding among the four navies in Undertaking joint maritime security operations, and will go a long way in further strengthening their already close strategic partnership.
• Sustainable Indo-Pacific coalition; A major step towards building a sustainable Indo - Pacific coalition thereby addressing the massive strategic imbalance generated by China.
• Peace through sea; It is not a coincidence that as India - Us ties improved in the mid 2000s , China was better behaved. The road to peace in the mountains may lie through the sea.

OTHER EXERCISES WITH QUAD COUNTRIES

• India- Japan ; JIMEX (Naval exercise), SHINYUU Maitri (Air force exercise) and Dharma Guardian (Military exercise).
• India - US ; Yudha Abhyas ( Army), Vajra Prahar ( Military) , Spitting Cobra , SANGAM , RED FLAG, COPE India.
• India-Australia ; AUSINDEX (maritime) AUSTRA HIND, Pitch black, Passage Exercise (PASSEX).