Recently, Australia made headlines when it agreed to join the Malabar Exercise on India’s invitation. This naval exercise is set to take place in November 2020.
The Malabar Exercise
The Malabar Exercise is an annual naval drill involving the navies of India, Japan, and the USA. It alternates yearly between the Indian and Pacific Oceans, starting as a bilateral exercise between India and the USA in 1992, and eventually expanding into a trilateral format to include Japan in 2015. The exercise’s main goal is to support a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific and adhere to a rules-based international order. It also aims to improve interoperability with a focus on humanitarian assistance, surface war manoeuvres, anti-submarine warfare, counter-terror operations, gunnery training, and aerial surveillance.
Highlights of the 2020 Malabar Exercise
The upcoming 2020 Malabar Exercise will take place in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. Unlike previous years, this year’s exercise had to be planned as a ‘non-contact – at sea’ drill due to Covid-19 safety measures. Its primary aim is to enhance safety and security in the maritime domain.
Australia’s Inclusion in the Exercise
Australia’s inclusion in the exercise was discussed during the recent Quad foreign ministers meet in Tokyo, which took place in October 2020. Following this meeting, India issued an invitation to Australia to participate in the exercise. This move is expected to strengthen the ability of India, Australia, Japan, and the United States to work together in upholding peace and stability across the Indo-Pacific region. It also sets a solid foundation for the eventual formalisation of the Quad grouping.
Background of Australia’s Inclusion
Previously, India was hesitant to include Australia due to concerns over projecting a ‘quadrilateral military alliance’ aimed at China. Despite repeated requests from Australia, India refrained from issuing an invite. However, the recent tensions between India and China over the Line of Actual Control (LAC) have led to a change in India’s position. Both Japan and the U.S.A. have been advocating for Australia’s inclusion in the Exercise.
Other Cooperation Between Quad Members
There are several instances of collaboration among Quad members. For instance, India signed a military logistics agreement with Japan in September 2020. India has also signed maritime information sharing agreements for Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) with Australia and Japan, and is in discussions for a similar agreement with the U.S.A. Additionally, India and the U.S.A. are working on finalising the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) ahead of the Indo-US 2+2 ministerial meeting in October 2020.
The Significance of BECA
BECA, a crucial military pact, allows India to use U.S.A.’s geospatial intelligence to enhance the accuracy of automated systems and weapons like missiles and armed drones. It represents one of the four foundational military communication agreements between the US and India, alongside GSOMIA, LEMOA, and CISMOA.
Way Forward
As India expands its cooperation with other countries in marine security, military exercises like Malabar play a vital role in enhancing maritime capabilities and building interoperability with its close partners. The swift progress on BECA and the decision of the four Quad nations to participate in the Malabar Exercise send a strategic signal to an assertive China.
