There have been persistent reports over the past week or so that India is considering inviting Australia to participate in the annual Malabar exercise in the Indian Ocean. “Not only does New Delhi hope to strengthen its relations with its partners in the Indo-Pacific, but it intends to send a strong message to Beijing as border tensions mount: India’s military partnerships are growing stronger than ever, and Chinese intransigence will make them even more potent,” wrote two Indian think tankers in an article posted by FP on July 21.
Along with the U.S., Japan is already a participant in the exercise. Australia‛s participation would make it an exercise of the “Quad,” the informal quadrilateral alliance of the U.S., India, Japan and Australia, formed “to ensure peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and check China’s increasing efforts to expand military influence in the region,” as The Statesman puts it. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, last week, that Australia joining the Malabar exercise would be hugely beneficial to reinforcing behaviours that are going to be necessary for them to defend their mutual interests.
“Our policy successfully stands on four pillars,” Biegun said, making clear that the target is China. “First is unity at home. Second is close partnership with our friends and allies around the world. Third is effective military deterrence. And fourth is a powerful economic alternative to China.” He continued: “We have to work on all four of those together, but the part about international cooperation will be fundamental. I actually think if we get all four of these right, we produce the best outcome with China as well. Because if China sees that that’s how the world is aligned against its efforts, it will have the best incentive to change its behaviour in a peaceful manner, as well.”
