In order to gain control over the Indo-Pacific region, India invited Australia to join the annual Malabar naval exercise. On Tuesday, the navies of India, Australia, Japan and the US kick-started their military drills as the first phase of the four-day long naval exercise. The complex and advanced naval drills were involved in the first phase of the exercise such as anti-submarine and anti-air warfare operations.
The first Malabar exercise was started in the Indian ocean in 1992 as a bilateral drill between the navies of India and the US. In 2007, the Malabar exercise was held with the Indian, Japanese, US, Australian and Singapore navies. Later Australia withdrew from participating due to the threats from China whereas, Japan joined and became a permanent member of the exercise in 2015.
As per the sources, the platforms that are participating in the first phase of exercises are US Navy ship USS John S McCain, a guided-missile destroyer, Australian Navy ship HMAS Ballarat, a long-range frigate and Japan Maritime Self Defense ship JS Onami, a destroyer.
Indian Navy units destroyer Ranvijay, frigate Shivalik, Off-shore patrol vessel Sukanya, Fleet Support Ship Shakti and submarine Sinduraj along with Advanced Jet Trainer Hawk, long-range maritime patrol aircraft P-81, Dornier maritime patrol aircraft and other helicopters participated in the Malabar naval exercise.