Subject: Security and International Relations
Relevance: UPSC GS Paper II (International Relations), GS Paper III (Internal Security)

Why in the News?

The navies of India, the United States, Australia, and Japan have commenced the Malabar Naval Exercise 2025 in the Northern Pacific (Guam). This annual maritime exercise aims to enhance interoperability, joint operational readiness, and maritime security coordination among the four nations—who also form the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad).

This year’s exercise gains particular significance as it unfolds amid evolving geopolitical dynamics in the Indo-Pacific region and ongoing trade tensions between India and the United States.

Understanding the Malabar Naval Exercise

1. Origin and Evolution

• The Malabar Exercise began in 1992 as a bilateral naval exercise between India and the United States, symbolising a growing defence partnership following the end of the Cold War.
• After two successful editions in 1995 and 1996, the exercise was suspended post-1998 following India’s nuclear tests and the subsequent US sanctions.
• It resumed in 2002, marking a renewed phase of Indo-US defence cooperation in the post-9/11 era.

2. Expansion and Multilateralization

• In 2007, Japan and Australia joined the exercise for the first time, expanding its scope to a quadrilateral level. However, due to regional sensitivities, Australia withdrew soon after.
• Japan became a permanent member in 2015, making Malabar a trilateral exercise.
• In 2020, Australia rejoined, and Malabar officially became a quadrilateral naval exercise, aligning with the strategic vision of the Quad grouping.

3. Significance of the 2025 Edition

• The 2025 exercise is hosted by the United States in Guam, strategically located in the Western Pacific, reflecting the focus on maritime stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
• The Indian Navy has deployed INS Sahyadri, a Shivalik-class stealth frigate, showcasing India’s indigenous naval capabilities and commitment to regional security.

About INS Sahyadri

• Type: Shivalik Class Guided Missile Stealth Frigate
• Built by: Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd, Mumbai
• Commissioned: 2012
• Features:
  • Stealth technology for reduced radar visibility
  • Multi-role capabilities—anti-air, anti-surface, and anti-submarine warfare
  • Equipped with state-of-the-art weapon systems and sensors
• Significance: Represents India’s growing self-reliance in defence production under the Make in India initiative.

The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad): A Strategic Context

1. Background and Formation

The Quad is an informal strategic dialogue among India, the United States, Japan, and Australia, aimed at promoting a “free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific.”

• The roots of the Quad trace back to 2004, when the four countries collaborated for humanitarian assistance following the Indian Ocean tsunami.
• The idea was later formalised in 2007 by Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, envisioning it as a platform of like-minded maritime democracies.
• After a period of dormancy, the Quad was revived in 2017, reflecting shared concerns about regional stability, maritime freedom, and China’s growing assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific.

2. Structure and Nature

• The Quad is not a formal military alliance like NATO.
• It lacks a secretariat or permanent decision-making body, functioning instead as a flexible consultative mechanism.
• Cooperation occurs through working groups and joint exercises like Malabar, focusing on soft and hard security domains.

3. Vision and Working Mechanism

• The Quad Vision Statement 2023 was centred on the theme “Enduring Partners for the Indo-Pacific.”
• The Quad operates through six Leader-level Working Groups in the following domains:
  1. Climate Action
  2. Critical and Emerging Technologies
  3. Cyber Security
  4. Health Security Partnership
  5. Infrastructure Development
  6. Space Cooperation

This wide-ranging agenda shows the Quad’s evolution from a purely security-centric grouping to a comprehensive partnership framework addressing global governance challenges.

4. Key Milestones

• 2020: Quad nations jointly participated in the Malabar Exercise, marking the grouping’s military synchronisation.
• 2021: The first-ever Quad Leaders’ Summit was held virtually, issuing a joint statement titled “The Spirit of the Quad,” reaffirming collective commitment to democratic values, maritime security, and technological cooperation.
• 2022–2024: The grouping intensified coordination on supply chains, semiconductor technology, and vaccine diplomacy, expanding its role beyond maritime security.

Strategic Significance

1. Strengthening Indo-Pacific Security Architecture:
   Malabar reflects India’s and its partners’ determination to uphold freedom of navigation and rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific—vital amid increasing Chinese assertiveness.
2. Enhancing Interoperability and Deterrence:
   The exercise allows the four navies to train together, share operational tactics, and enhance joint maritime capabilities across anti-submarine warfare, air defence, and information sharing.
3. Balancing Regional Power Dynamics:
   The Quad and Malabar serve as strategic balancers in the Indo-Pacific, reinforcing deterrence against unilateral coercive actions.
4. Promoting India’s Strategic Autonomy:
   While deepening its engagement with democratic partners, India continues to pursue multi-alignment, maintaining cooperation with Russia and ASEAN nations, underscoring its independent foreign policy stance.

Challenges and Criticisms

• Perception of Containment: China views the Quad as a containment strategy, potentially escalating tensions in the Indo-Pacific.
• Divergent Priorities: Member nations differ in their threat perceptions and regional priorities, affecting cohesive decision-making.
• Lack of Institutional Structure: Absence of a permanent secretariat or collective defence clause limits the grouping’s effectiveness during crises.

Conclusion

The Malabar Naval Exercise 2025 epitomises the deepening synergy among the Quad nations and underscores India’s central role in ensuring maritime stability in the Indo-Pacific. While the Quad remains informal and non-military in structure, exercises like Malabar enhance strategic trust, interoperability, and shared commitment to a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific.

As geopolitical competition intensifies, such collaborations symbolise a shift from bilateralism to plurilateralism in regional security affairs — reflecting India’s growing maritime influence and its evolving role as a net security provider in the Indo-Pacific.