New Delhi: India on Monday announced that Australia will join the upcoming Malabar exercise which effectively means that all the four member countries of the 'Quad' or Quadrilateral coalition will be participating in the mega drill. "The exercise will strengthen the coordination between the navies of the participating countries," the ministry said. China has been suspicious about the purpose of the Malabar exercise as it feels that the annual war game is an effort to contain its influence in the Indo-Pacific region. The Malabar exercise started in 1992 as a bilateral drill between the Indian Navy and the US Navy in the Indian Ocean. For the last few years, Australia has been showing keen interest in joining the exercise.

Source: Mint October 19, 2020 12:22 UTC