India’s joint South China Sea drills show concern about Beijing, experts say

Indian warships have been deployed there and took part in the annual joint Quad exercises

The Indian navy is also working with counterparts from Vietnam, the Philippines, Singapore, Indonesia and Australia

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The Indian military takes part in last year’s Quad exercises. Photo: AFP

Published: 3:00pm, 4 Sep 2021Updated: 8:57pm, 4 Sep 2021

India’s joint drills with the Quad and nations in South China Sea disputes with China reflects its growing wariness of Beijing, observers said.

Four Indian warships were sent to the Indo-Pacific last month on a two-month deployment, with two of the ships taking part in the annual joint exercises with Quad partners the United States, Japan and Australia off the coast of Guam, ending last Sunday. The 25th edition of the Malabar Exercise underlined the Quad’s shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific region, India’s defence ministry said.

The ministry said the warships would also take part in bilateral exercises with the navies of Vietnam, the Philippines, Singapore, Indonesia and Australia, to enhance coordination with what it called “friendly countries” committed to freedom of navigation. The drills with Vietnam and the Philippines were held in the South China Sea last month.

The South Asian country’s presence in the South China Sea is driven partly by economic considerations, but more importantly by a wish to join allies in countering China’s assertiveness, observers said.

More than US$5 trillion of trade passes through sea lanes in the region, with over 55 per cent of India’s trade passing through the South China Sea and the Strait of Malacca between Malaysia and Singapore, according to Indian government data.