Malabar Exercise will begin in the Bay of Bengal very soon. This will be the second phase of the Malabar Exercise this year, the first concluding in Guam, in the Pacific Ocean, recently.
This exercise involves the participation of warships of four countries namely, India, the US, Japan, and Australia. As the navies of four countries prepare for the exercise, discussion on making Australia a permanent member is underway. In the past, Australia had taken part, and then dropped out, before rejoining last year.
The Malabar exercise is being conducted as the Chinese navy is increasingly active in the South China Sea and showing interest in becoming strong in the Indian Ocean Region.
Immediately after the second phase of Malabar, another naval exercise, involving a Royal Navy carrier and other warships from the Malabar group is also being planned. The Royal Navy carrier, Queen Elizabeth, is already in the Indian Ocean area along with supporting warships.
