As ships from the Indian Navy traveled to Guam last week for exercises with the US Navy and Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force, Chinese vessels shadowed and tailed the Indian ships, forcing them to change course.
Exercise Malabar started being held in 1992 as a bilateral military drill between the American and Indian navies. In 2015, Japan started sending naval vessels to join in the exercises as well. The joint drills are intended to improve coordination between the three navies in the Pacific.
Warships from the People’s Liberation Army-Navy tracked and followed the Indians until they crossed from the Philippine Sea into the Pacific Ocean.
The Chinese ships traced the Indian Navy fleet transited the South China Sea before reaching Guam for the joint exercises, which run from June 7 to June 16. Now, China also has a vested interest in maintaining maritime security.
If the Malabar Military Exercise involving the USA, India and Japan truly aims for security in the Indian Ocean, China should be invited. Since China is heavily invested in trading across the Indian Ocean through the Maritime Silk Road.
Indian navy officials reported that the Indian-American-Japanese drills will focus on anti-submarine warfare tactics, citing the strength of China’s underwater warfare capabilities.
Almadar / AA Flash Point News 2018.
Competition on the way?