A military exercise or war game is a measure to test the performance of the armed forces without engaging on the battlefield. On the intangible side, military exercises promote brotherhood and camaraderie between soldiers and militaries. Besides goodwill, it is a tool for the projection of a nation’s soft power.
In international relations strategy, military diplomacy has, in recent years, emerged as a powerful tool to further the diplomatic interests of nations. Participation in international level military exercises is an indication of the highest level of trust and confidence between the member nations. It is a critical confidence-building measure (CBM) and an expression of the faith reposed by India in another country or a group of member nations.
Military exercises have enabled militaries to understand each other’s drills and procedures, overcome language barriers, and familiarize equipment capabilities. It also facilitates understanding and familiarisation with new technologies that other countries may be utilizing and enables on-the-job training of each other’s crews. This is particularly useful in the event of joint operations, whether in war or in operations other than war (OOTW) – humanitarian aid, disaster relief, anti-piracy, etc. – when nations come together for a common cause. A fine example was the aid assistance provided by a host of nations during the tsunami in South East Asia, where a massive land, air, and sea rescue effort was successfully executed to give relief to the affected countries.
Australia, Japan, India, and the United States, otherwise known as QUAD, have conducted the second edition of the Malabar naval exercises off the coast of Guam from August 26-29, 2021. This time including the fourth member of the QUAD, i.e., Australia.
According to the Indian Defence ministry, MALABAR-21 witnessed high-tempo exercises conducted between Destroyers, Frigates, Corvettes, Submarines, Helicopters, and Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft in the participating navies. Complex surface, sub-surface, and air operations, including Live Weapon Firing Drills, Anti-Surface, Anti-Air, and Anti-Submarine Warfare Drills, Joint Manoeuvres, and Tactical exercises were conducted during this exercise. The 2020 edition of the Malabar exercise, which included Australia, was held in two phases in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea.
This was particularly indicative of the increasing hostility between China and the Quad countries, citing to which the cooperation is bound to mature and intensify. The apprehensiveness can be seen in China’s viewpoint, at the growing Quad engagements, and the Malabar exercises in particular, with increasing concern. Beijing has called them the Quad’s efforts at “containing” China’s growing global profile and footprint.
India has different forms of bilateral and multilateral military exercises with all these nations. Recently, the Indian Navy has conducted several Passage Exercises (PASSEX) with the navies of Japan, Australia, and the US. These are basic exercises to increase operability between the navies.
Conclusion
India, as a blooming world power, has to reflect on both the Soft Power Projection and Military Influence over the world and unexplored places. Joint Military Exercises help not only in strengthening diplomatic exchange but also in familiarising the country’s military with unknown geography, making the deployment easy in such terrains if need be. UN Peacekeeping missions are a great example of such practice, as India volunteers for the third-largest peacekeeping efforts.