Why in News:

• The Quad countries — India, the U.S., Australia and Japan — is set to conduct the next edition of the Malabar naval exercise off the coast of Guam.
• Indian stealth frigate INS Shivalik and anti-submarine warfare corvette INS Kadmatt arrived in Guam, an island territory of the U.S. in the Western Pacific, to take part in the exercise.

About the exercise

• The Malabar-21 would witness exercises among destroyers, frigates, corvettes, submarines, helicopters and long-range maritime patrol aircraft of the participating navies.
• Complex surface, sub-surface and air operations including live weapon firing drills, anti-surface, anti-air and anti-submarine warfare drills, and joint manoeuvres and tactical exercises will be conducted during the exercise.

History of the exercise

• The Malabar exercise started in 1992 as a bilateral drill between the Indian Navy and the U.S. Navy in the Indian Ocean. 
• Japan became a permanent member of the exercise in 2015.
• Following India’s invitation, Australia participated in the Malabar exercise in 2020,  which effectively made it a drill by all four member nations of the Quad.

Significance of the exercise

• There have been mounting global concerns over China’s growing military assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region.
• India, the U.S., Australia, Japan and many other like-minded countries are working towards ensuring a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific.
• The exercise will provide an opportunity for common minded navies to enhance inter-operability, gain from best practices and develop a common understanding of procedures for maritime security operations

To read about stealth frigates: https://officerspulse.com/stealth-frigates/

To read about Quad: https://officerspulse.com/quad-grouping/

 Reference:

1. https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/two-indian-naval-ships-arrive-in-guam-to-take-part-in-malabar-exercise/article36044432.ece