The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) has dispatched HMAS Stuart, an ANZAC class destroyer, to India to take part in the prestigious Exercise Malabar. The wargames which the U.S. and Japanese navies will also participate is set to begin next month in October. The United States Navy (USN) is likely to be represented by a Carrier Battle Group (CBG). The Japanese Navy is expected to be represented by a Izumo-class helicopter carrier, which may be accompanied by Aegis-equipped destroyers, such as the Maya-class destroyers.
The Indian Navy will bring aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, Talwar-class frigates, Kalvari-class submarines and P-8I maritime patrol aircraft to the exercise it is hosting.
The Malabar exercise began in 1992 as a bilateral exercise between India and the United States. The Japanese Navy started participating in the exercise in 2007, while the RAN became a permanent feature of the exercise in 2020. The participation of the navies of the four nations have made this a QUAD military exercise. The exercise shows the resolve of the partnering nations to ensure an open and rule bases order in the Indo-Pacific, especially in the face of an assertive China. Canada too had participated in the exercise a single time in 2006.
Australia’s Joint Force Maritime Component Commander, Commodore Jonathan Ley said “Regional presence deployments play a vital role in Australia’s long-term security and prosperity by protecting Australia’s interests, preserving the rules-based order, enhancing cooperation and relationships with regional partners, and developing the Australian Defence Force’s capability and interoperability.”
The aim of the exercise is to increase interoperability of the naval forces of the partnering nations. The focus of the exercise is said to be on anti-submarine warfare, air defence and amphibious operations.
The Indian Navy too has participated in exercises in Australia, Japan and the United States this year in a bid to improve cooperation with its partnering nations.
