The Indian Navy, with INS Satpura and INS Kiltan ships as well as P8I Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft, is participating for the first time in the multilateral maritime exercise La Pérouse. The exercise will take place from the 5th to the 7th of April 2021 in the Eastern Indian Ocean Region. Once concluded, the Indo-French Naval exercise “Varuna“ will be held in the Western Indian Ocean, also involving the participation of UAE.
Background of La Pérouse Joint Exercise
The La Pérouse joint exercise was initiated by France in 2019, with the inaugural edition including participation from Australia, Japan and the US. Named after an 18th-century French Naval explorer, the exercise provides a stage to enhance naval operations and promote maritime cooperation. India’s involvement in 2021 completes the QUAD force representation in this French led Naval exercise.
Significance and Objectives of the Exercise
The naval exercise will facilitate complex and advanced naval operations, such as surface warfare, anti-air warfare and air defence exercises. Weapon firing exercises, tactical manoeuvres, cross deck flying operations, and seamanship evolutions like replenishment at sea will also be included. Furthermore, the exercise will serve as an opportunity to develop closer links among these high-end naval forces, sharpen their skills, and foster cooperation throughout a free and open Indo-Pacific.
QUAD’s Role and the Interests of Democratic Nations
The objective of QUAD, a group comprising India, USA, Australia and Japan, is to protect the interests of democratic nations in the Indo-Pacific region and address global challenges. The group demonstrates its cooperative engagement capabilities through naval exercises. These activities include formation sailing, live fire drills, and Search and Rescue (SAR) operations, exemplifying their role in the Indian Ocean Region.
Strategic Influence of the Indo-Pacific Region
The Indo-Pacific region is gradually becoming a significant Naval Theatre with multinational activities aiming to establish a free, open, inclusive, and rule-based order. The ambition lies in supporting the freedom of navigation, peaceful cooperative use of the seas, respecting international laws and resolving territorial sea disputes peacefully.
Tensions in the Pacific Ocean
In contrast, China’s strategy in the Pacific Ocean region seems defensive, with initiatives to establish a protective boundary around its seas (Yellow Sea, East China Sea, and part of South China Sea). Also, China’s assertiveness closer to Japanese waters and airspace have raised concerns for Japan, despite their trade ties.
The Role of Other Nations
France, the US, and Japan also have stakes in the Indo-Pacific region. France, with direct strategic and economic interests in New Caledonia, French Polynesia, and Wallis and Futuna, is a member of the Pacific Community and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).
The US has shown consistent interest in the region, with its Indo-Pacific Command established after World War II being the largest unified command. Similarly, Japan maintains a wary eye on China’s military growth, despite extensive trade relations between the two nations.
India’s Naval Presence
The Indian Navy ensures compliance with internationally established Rules of the Road (ROR) for the seas, and this authority is widely respected. However, the presence of unidentified Chinese ships and submarines lurking within the Indian Ocean Region has been noted and reported by the Indian Navy.
Indo-French Joint Exercises
Apart from the La Pérouse joint exercise, other key Indo-French joint exercises include Desert Knight-21 and Garuda (Air exercise), Varuna (Naval exercise), and Shakti (Army exercise).
