Malabar war exercises will take place at Guam Island this year

New Delhi: The annual joint war exercises by India, United States and Japan will take place in the month of June this year on the Guam island. This selection of the Pacific island of Guam for the Malabar war exercises, seems to be a clear warning to China.

As per reports, the Malabar war exercises conducted jointly by the United States, India and Japan will be held between 7^th and 15^th of June this year. The war exercises gain importance because of the location selected for these exercises. Last year, these exercises were held in the Bay of Bengal. This year, the exercises will be conducted at Guam, an island in the Pacific.

These islands are considered very important from a military strategic point of view. North Korea had threatened the United States of attacks on these islands. Movements of China, who is also the the supporter of North Korea, has become aggressive in the Pacific Ocean. China has claimed its rights on almost the entire region of the South China Sea and the East China Sea, which are a part of Pacific Ocean. These claims of China are being fiercely opposed by Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, Philippines and other countries. China has considerably increased its strength in the South China Sea and has established complete dominance over this region. A report tabled recently in the US Congress has warned that only a war can end this domination. Against this background, the selection of the Guam Island in the Pacific Ocean is a clear warning to China.

The USS Ronald Reagan, a nuclear aircraft carrier will also participate in the war exercises. India has deputed three warships for these exercises. ‘INS Sahyadri’ and stealth anti-submarine warship ‘INS Kamorta’ are included in this, as per reports.

India and the United States are conducting Malabar war exercises since the year 1992. The exercises were not conducted for four years because of the sanctions imposed by the United States, following the nuclear test conducted by India in 1998. However, the war exercises resumed in the year 2002. In 2016, Japan joined the exercises as a permanent member. Japan had taken part as a temporary participant for a few years during this period. China had raised objections to the Japanese participation. China had also expressed anger over the Australian participation in the exercises. Australia has expressed interest in participating in the Malabar exercises. But China looks at this joint activity by India, United States, Japan and Australia as a conspiracy against itself. And hence, China is strongly against the Australian participation in these exercises.

Therefore, Australia has not been included this year in the Malabar war exercises, despite a formal request from Australia. But there are indications that Australia will be inducted in the Malabar exercises as a permanent member. These are the first joint-war exercises by India and the United States since President Trump took over as the President of the United States.