By Elishya Perera
SYDNEY, Australia (CWBN)_ Australia will join India, Japan and USA the Malabar naval exercises off the coast of India, which is expected to strengthen the military relationship between the four nations concerned by the rising influence of China. The large-scale military exercises are expected to take place next month, in the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, which are hotspots for Indo-Chinese strategic competition.
The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, also known as the Quad, is an informal strategic forum for the US, Japan, Australia and India, featuring semi-regular summits and information exchanges between the four nations. The collation has been denounced by Beijing as an anti-China bloc.
Earlier this month, a discussion was held between the foreign ministers of the four countries to develop the Quad into a formal counterbalance to growing Chinese influence. At that meeting, US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, called on Asian allies to unite against China’s “exploitation, corruption and coercion” in the region.
Australia previously participated in the drills in 2007, however, this sparked diplomatic protests from China and relations between the two nations have since deteriorated.
Other members of the Quad have also seen tensions with Beijing spike in recent months.
Over the years, China has significantly increased its influence in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Myanmar, prompting concern in New Delhi. On the other hand, both India and China have invested thousands of troops in the disputed area in the remote Himalayan border zone. In June this year, the deadliest clash between the two sides took place, resulting in the deaths of 20 Indian troops and an unknown number of Chinese soldiers.
Recently, Indian Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh, claimed that China and Pakistan are on a “mission” against India, referring to the recent military actions taken by the country’s neighbours to the north and west.
Meanwhile, Japan and China also remain at odds over the disputed Senkaku Islands, named the Diaoyus by China, where Beijing has increased the presence of its coast guard vessels, even though Japan has administered these uninhabited islands since 1972.
Malabar began as a bilateral exercise between India and the US, while Japan became a permanent Malabar member in 2015. Over the years, military exercises have been carried out by India, USA and Japan, in the Indian Ocean, and Australia’s participation this year means that all four nations will be participating in the exercises for the first time since 2007.
Edited By Chathushka Perera
