India inside QUAD looks into China’s eye, holds war-games in Indo-Pacific

By Haider Abbas

There is an eyeball to eyeball between North Korea and South Korea, which by extension means between China and US, all the while as Russia-Ukraine war is raging, since February with no sign of ceasefire yet, while at the same time, there is an aggressive posture from US led QUAD in the Indo-Pacific which is gaining snarls from Beijing. QUAD is a Japanese conceptualized group, which consists US, India, Australia and Japan, and its main strategic and security agenda to contain China. It has been reported by Indiaweekly.biz that ‘Malabar wargame featuring Quad nations begins off Japanese island Yokosuka. The Malabar exercise featuring the navies of all four Quad countries — India, US, Australia and Japan — began on Wednesday (9) off the Yokosuka island near the East China Sea in the backdrop of China’s increasing military muscle-flexing in the region.

Indian Naval ships Shivalik and INS Kamorta have been deployed for the 10-day high-voltage exercise being hosted by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF). The opening ceremony of the exercise was attended by commander of Indian Navy’s Eastern Fleet Rear Admiral Sanjay Bhalla; commander in chief of Self Defense Fleet of Japanese Navy Vice Admiral Yuasa Hideki; commander of US Navy’s Seventh Fleet Vice Admiral Karl Thomas; and commander of Australian Fleet Rear Admiral Jonathan Earley. “The multilateral exercise Malabar between the navies of India, Japan, US and Australia began today with an opening ceremony hosted by the JMSDF onboard JS Hyuga at Yokosuka,” said a spokesperson of the Indian Navy.’ Last yet too the same exercises were played too. Malabar coast lies on the southeastern part of India, in Kerala.

QUAD has named the latest display of strength as its mega war-games for ‘free and open’ Indo-Pacific, on the kick-start of the Malabar exercise and have flexed muscles in direction to China, which has been engaged with US over Taiwan in the Indo-Pacific from quite some time before. The top notch drills of these four nations, are now a formidable combination to blunt the teeth of China, which considers Taiwan as its part while US and the West support Taiwan’s efforts for independence from China. This counter move from QUAD is surely an outcome, and came within a month, against what may be termed as the ‘aggressive moves’ from China, as a part of reflection of the latest 48 paged document released by US as its National Security Policy on October 12. US President Joseph Biden administration had put a lot-of-focus on the Indo-Pacific region.

China has every reason to be irked by QUAD steps, as it has civilizational issues with Japan, has border disputes with India, engaged in a war of supremacy with US and looks Australia as a US extension, and with India added to QUAD, has hurt China where its sours the most, as India and China had gone to war in 1962 and since the last five-decades have more or less remained estranged to each other, the latest conflagration came in May 2020 when in Galwan valley (Ladakh) , India lost 20 and China its five soldiers in a skirmish. It may also be known that an year earlier in August 2019, India had abrogated the special-status accorded to Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh, under Article 370 of its Constitution, which had left China red.

In fact QUAD has termed the whole development as coming together of four democracies, which is yet another snigger at China which is not a democracy, and in its way, has thrown an open challenge to China’s expansive maritime claims in the region, and also an window of opportunity to India to showcase its naval strength and ship building capabilities. Ironically, it has come when China has docked its Spy-Ship Yuan Wang VI in the Indian Ocean to tap into data-details of the forthcoming ballistic missile test to be undertaken by India. China has time and again at United Nations Security Council (UNSC) raised the issue of nuclear carrying warhead Agni-V missile of India. There have been reports that China does not miss any chance to keep a track into anything where India pertains to score over it in terms of military prowess.

What is ironic is that such QUAD signaling has come at a very precarious time as US President Joseph Biden is facing a tough challenge from the outgoing President Donald Trump, and US is having midterm election, while Russia and Ukraine war is still raging, and which, US, European Union or NATO has not been able to stop, or turn into Ukraine favour. India’s has till date maintained a striking balance between US and Russia and has not condemned Russia’s war on Ukraine, moreover, India’s EAM S Jaishankar on his visit to Moscow, on November 9, also has made it abundantly clear, to US, that energy-needs are a number-one priority of India and India will keep-on to buy cheap oil from Russia, despite the US opposition to it. But, what is also important is that Russia has also expressed its open displeasure over India’s presence inside QUAD. Notwithstanding, the China ‘fuming’ over it.

Moreover, the latest statement by India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to snatch Gilgit Baltistan from Pakistan side of Kashmir, on October 29, and that Indian march of development is to continue in North, also assumes significance, as it is the place where China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), passes through, and it is on the behest of China, that the outgoing PM of Pakistan Imran Khan, had made it as Pakistan’s fifth province. How will China and Pakistan situate to India’s stand is what time is to tell, and how will Russia stand when it would come between China and India is what is all to be found. But, going by the way QUAD has pulled-its war-game, as a continuation of US high profile Senator Nancy Pelosi and UK International Trade Minister Greg Hand, visits to Taiwan, the tide does not seem to be easy for China, while it is locked with India in the Himalayas too.

***
The writer is a former UP State Information Commissioner and writes on international politics.

  • Explore tags ⟶
  • QUAD

Also read-

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Related Stories

Will India ‘grab’ UK offer of AUKUS and ‘Isolate’ France?

0
By Haider Abbas There is a lot happening in geo-politics and India is quite in the middle of it. India is holding the Presidency of...

India likely to be a restraining force in the Mid-East Quad

3
By Syed Ali Mujtaba India, Israel, and the United Arab Emirates have initiated a Mid-East Quad on October 19, 2021. This move was to mark...

How much Quad proves efficacious?

1
By Dr. Zakir Husain Much applauds to #quadsummit 's enlivenment on 12 March 2021. This is how Quad members and others who see it as...

Saudi Arabia gears up to world-class services to Hajj and Umrah performers

By Tareq Wahab In recognition of its historical obligation and with a deep sense of honor, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques government has...

Afghan tragedy unfolds in Pakistan

By Asad Mirza For the last two months the international attention has been focussed on the continuing Gaza crisis, yet in its background another human...

2022 sees 24% rise in crime against women, minors, SC/ST: NCRB report

The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) recently released its comprehensive data for 2022, shedding light on the surge in crime against women, children, Schedule...

Hindu young women will lose rights if they marry Muslims: Karnataka BJP leader

Dakshina Kannada : BJP leader Malavika Avinash asserted that Hindu young women who marry a Muslim would lose their rights. She also raised questions about...

Is the party now over for Mayawati and BSP in UP?

Lucknow : The Bahujan Samaj Party has miserably failed to arrest its downslide in politics. The BSP failed to open its account in Chhattisgarh, Madhya...

FIR against Kafeel Khan for ‘objectionable’ content in his book

Lucknow : A case has been registered against Kafeel Khan, a former doctor at the BRD Medical College in Gorakhpur, and five unidentified people...

US Muslims launch anti-Biden campaign ahead of 2024 presidential election

ANKARA : Muslims in the US have launched a campaign against President Joe Biden’s bid for re-election in 2024 over his support for Israel...

Death toll soars to over 15,500 as Israeli attacks on Gaza Strip continue

GAZA CITY, Palestine : The death toll from Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has surged to 15,523 since the start of the conflict...

EU’s foreign policy chief regrets resumption of attack on Gaza, urges Israel to respect laws of war

LONDON : The EU's foreign policy chief on Saturday expressed "regret" over the resumption of Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip, emphasizing Tel Aviv's...

As BJP leads in 3 states, INDIA bloc schedules meet to strategize for LS polls

New Delhi : Leaders of the opposition INDIA bloc will meet at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence in Delhi on December 6 to chalk...

Student’s kin threaten Bihar school for ordering removal of hijabs inside classrooms

Sheikhpura : A government school in Bihar has received threats from family members of female students who were asked by teachers to take off...

Thousands across Europe protest Israel, demand cease-fire in Gaza

PARIS/MADRID/VIENNA/ROME : Thousands took to the streets in European capitals Saturday to protest Israeli attacks and demand a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip. Demonstrators once...

BSP MP Danish Ali challenges Ethics Committee’s “Cash-for-Query” report, calls for deletion of “unwarranted remarks”

BSP MP Danish Ali has raised objections to the upcoming report of the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee, which recommends the expulsion of Trinamool Congress...

Israeli columnist Ari Shavit predicts the fall of Israel very soon

By Latheef Farook Today Israel  is badly in need of an exit  strategy to get out of Gaza. However  not only Israel even  United States...

Muslim woman moves HC after Delhi cops ‘forcibly’ detain her without veil

New Delhi : The Delhi High Court has sought the stand of the city police on a petition by a ‘purdahnashin’ (veiled) Muslim woman...