MALABAR NAVAL EXERCISE 2025

NEWS – The Malabar Naval Exercise 2025 — involving India, the US, Japan, and Australia — has commenced in the Northern Pacific’s Guam. This annual multilateral exercise strengthens defence cooperation among QUAD nations and enhances interoperability in the Indo-Pacific region

HIGHLIGHTS

About the Malabar Exercise

• Origin & Evolution: Started in 1992 as a bilateral naval drill between India and the US, the exercise evolved into a multilateral format with Japan and Australia joining later.
• Key Milestones:
  • 2007 – Japan and Australia joined the drills.
  • 2015 – Japan became a permanent member, making it a trilateral
  • 2020 – Australia rejoined, forming the QUAD’s joint participation after over a decade.
• 2025 Edition: Conducted amid trade tensions between India and the US, India’s INS Sahyadri (guided-missile frigate) represents the country.
• Objective: To enhance joint operational readiness and strengthen maritime security

About the QUAD (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue)

• Members: India, USA, Japan, and Australia.
• Aim: To ensure a “free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific” and uphold the rules-based international order.
• History: Originated after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami as a disaster-response coalition; formalised in 2007 by Japan’s PM Shinzo Abe.
• Revival: Re-emerged in 2017 due to rising Chinese assertiveness.
• Structure: Informal; no secretariat or mutual defence pact like NATO.

Beyond the Nugget – Recent QUAD Initiatives

• QUAD Cancer Moonshot: Focuses on cervical cancer control in Indo-Pacific nations, with India providing $7.5 million in vaccines and diagnostic kits.
• QUAD Critical Minerals Initiative: Aims to build secure, diversified supply chains for strategic minerals, reducing dependency on any single nation.