On Saturday, the Indian Navy and the Japanese Navy conducted military exercises in the Indian Ocean to increase the two forces’ interoperability. The practice involved the INS Rana and INS Kulush training vessels from India, and the JS Kashima and JS Shimayuki from Japan.
According to the Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force, the joint exercise was aimed to “promote mutual understanding”. Toshihide Ando, the spokesperson for the Japanese embassy, said, “The content of this exercise is tactical training and communications training.” Indian officials also resonated with the Japanese position. Vice-Admiral Pradeep Chauhan said that Saturday’s activity was not for “combat purposes”, but for “signaling” and “strategic communications”,
India-Japanese naval exercises are a routine occurrence in India and Japan’s strategic partnership; this is the 15th such exercise in three years. They conduct such naval exercises as a bilateral activity, and as a part of the Malabar exercises, a multilateral maneuver with the US, of which Japan has been a part since 2015. In fact, India collaborates with all three prongs of Japan’s Self-Defence Force: the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force, the Japan Air Self-Defence Force, and the Japan Group Self-Defence Force. Further, there are talks of an alliance between India, Japan, the US, and Australia, to combat Chinese naval presence in the region.
However, this comes at a time when both India and Japan “territorial threats” from China. India and China are currently in a military stand-off in the Galwan region along the LAC. This was instigated by a clash on June 15, which led to 20 Indian soldiers’ death. The incident was considered the most severe escalation in the border stand-off between India and China in nearly half a century. Japan offered condolences on the death of the soldiers but did not come forward with any such statement regarding Chinese casualties.
In light of this conflict and growing Chinese aggression across the region, India has also elevated its relationship with Australia from a Strategic Partnership to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP). In early June, PM Narendra Modi inked nine agreements with PM Scott Morrison, including a Shared Vision for Maritime Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific” and a Mutual Logistics Support Agreement (MLSA).
Also Read: India-China Border Clash Turns Violent, 20 Indian Soldiers Killed
Moreover, Japan and China have their own ongoing territorial disputes. Japan faces increasing pressure from China over the Senkaku islands, with China constantly intruding on Japanese waters. In fact, the Global Times, a media house owned by the Chinese government, said that the Chinese Navy will now be engaging in its own military exercises scheduled to occur from July 3 to July 5. The activity will be conducted in the South China Sea, close to the disputed Xisha Islands, and aims to “send a signal to its rivals”.
The Chinese government is likely to respond to this latest collaboration between India and Japan with increased activity in the Indian Ocean. The Chinese PLA has already deployed its 35th Task Force (Taiyan), its missile destroyer, and Jingzhou, a frigate-built warship into the Indian Ocean.
Image Source: Economic Times