The arrival of the warship in the waters comes at a time when relations between India and China have risen to unprecedented levels after 20 Indian soldiers were killed in skirmishes between the two in June. While no official announcement was made over the ship, analysts have claimed it represents India’s intention to take a greater stand against Beijing. Director of the Indian think-tank, the Takshashila Institution, Nitin Pai stated India was issuing a clear message to China.
Following the clash on the Himalayan border in June, he also claimed the government would now look to broaden its horizons towards the South China Sea in an attempt to contain Beijing’s navy.
He told the Financial Times: “The message was: Don’t mess in my backyard or otherwise I’ll mess in yours.
“The security of the Himalayas lies east of the Malaccas.
“If you can’t solve the problem in the theatre you have, you have to enlarge the theatre.”
The Malaccas refers to the passage of water between Indonesia and Malaysia and acts as a crucial waterway between the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean.
In response, Liu Zongyi, a South Asia specialist at the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, claimed confrontation was now more possible than ever.
Writing in the state-run Global Times, which acts as a mouthpiece for the Communist Party, he said: “This is an obvious step to create a mini version of Nato in India.
“The formation of the military alliance in the Indian Ocean will inevitably stimulate other countries to take countermeasures.
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Upon announcing the country’s participation, Australian Defence Minister, Linda Reynolds labelled it as a milestone activity.
She added: “High-end military exercises like Malabar are key to enhancing Australia’s maritime capabilities, building interoperability with our close partners, and demonstrating our collective resolve to support an open and prosperous Indo-Pacific.”
The US and India also signed a landmark defence treaty this week following the arrival of Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo and Defence Secretary, Mark Esper.
The treaty will give India access to crucial satellite imagery needed to map out certain areas of its territory.
Named the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement on Geospatial Cooperation, the treaty will give India advanced navigational aids and aircraft supplied to the state from the US.
Commenting on the South China Sea situation, Mr Pai added: “It makes sense for India to be part of a multinational coalition countering China in the South China Sea.