Quad Navies Begin 4-day Malabar exercise off coast of Guam

The Malabar exercise started in 1992 as a bilateral drill between India and the U.S. in the Indian Ocean. Japan became a permanent member in 2015 and Australia was invited last year

The high-voltage Malabar exercise featuring the navies of all four Quad countries -- India, the United States, Australia and Japan -- began on Thursday off the coast of Guam in the backdrop of the resolve by the four nations to work towards a free and open Indo-Pacific in view of China's expansionist behaviour in the region. A range of complex drills involving warships, aircraft and helicopters will be carried out during the four-day exercise which is being hosted by the US Navy in the Western Pacific, officials said. The Indian Navy has deployed its stealth frigate INS Shivalik, anti-submarine warfare corvette INS Kadmatt and a fleet of P8I maritime surveillance aircraft, they said.