India Joins Malabar Drill in Guam Despite US Tariffs - Why This Naval Move Matters

The United States of America's 50 percent tariff on India continues, the dates of the QUAD summit in New Delhi are yet to be announced, but military ties are continuing as planned, with India participating in the next Malabar exercise in Guam on November 25-26. Malabar is the naval exercise involving India, Australia, Japan and the USA, with the Navy sending a modern stealth frigate for it. The Navy has confirmed its participation and this time, the exercise in Guam, a group of islands in the western Pacific Ocean, roughly halfway between Japan and Australia and east of the Philippines. It is US territory and the exercise will be an extensive one, involving surface ships, warplanes and submarines. The Navy will be sending a newly built frigate.

The exercises are often held close to the Indian coast, either in the Bay of Bengal or Arabian Sea and also, off the coast of Japan or close to American territory like Hawaii or Guam as in this case. Initially, Malabar was a bilateral exercise between the USA and India and later, Japan joined up, as did Australia, more recently. The same countries that are Malabar participants are members of the Quad, which is not a military alliance. While India and Britain have agreed to a free trade agreement, the ones with the European Union and the USA are still being negotiated. So, the 50 percent tariff on Indian goods (among the highest in the world) remains, hurting economic ties. There is also no sign of a QUAD summit in New Delhi, for which US President Donald Trump would have to be present, at this point.

Chinese Research Vessel

The Navy said a Chinese research vessel was in the Indian Ocean, but its movements were carefully monitored. The Navy knew when it came into the Indian Ocean region, where it was and when it left. The same applies to all research vessels of the Chinese government, officials said. Meanwhile Exercise Trishul, involving the three services and other parts of the government has begun off the Gujarat coast. This multidimensional exercise will involve 25 ships, 40 fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force and also, other parts of government. It will involve cyber and space-relations and will continue till November 13.