Yudh Abhyas, Malabar exercise and Cope India

Context:

Recently, 17th edition of India-US bilateral exercise, Yudh Abhyas 2021 took place at the Joint Base Elementary, Richardson, Alaska, US. The two sides, US & India showcased their skills in counter – terror operations in mountainous terrain and cold climatic conditions.

Yudh Abhyas 2021:

• It is the largest running joint military training and defense cooperation endeavor between India and USA.
• The exercise focuses on enhancing understanding, cooperation ad inter-operability between the two armies.
• This year, Yudh Abhyas stressed on the importance of free exchange of ideas, concepts and best practices and the necessity to learn from each other's experiences.
• It is the only India-US service exercise continuing in bilateral format.

Malabar Exercise:

• The Indo-US Malabar naval exercise became trilateral with the addition of Japan in 2015 and further brought all quad members i.e., US, India, Japan and Australia together in 2020. Australian Navy joined the Malabar exercise in 2020 making it a quadrilateral naval exercise.
• Earlier, Australia joined the Malabar exercise in 2007 with US & Indian Navy.
• Malabar exercise takes place annually in the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean alternatively.
• The first Malabar exercise took place in Bay of Bengal in the year 2007.
• Singapore and Australia have been non-permanent members previously.
• The Malabar exercise propagates an open, free and inclusive Indo-Pacific region.

Cope India:

• Cope India are a series of exercise between the Indian Air Force and United States Air Force conducted in India.
• Japan joined the India-US bilateral air exercise, cope India as an observer in 2018 and the plan is to make it trilateral in phases.
• The exercises showcase efforts and commitment of the nations participating to a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

Significance of these exercises:

• These exercises complement diplomatic efforts and ensure inter-operability between participating member countries.
• Exercise helps to test strategies and their use in hostilities, ensure combat readiness and creates understanding among military personnel.
• In last couple of years, the initiatives to include QUAD members in bilateral exercise to make it a trilateral or quadrilateral one is to do a covert engagement over China's growing presence in the Indian Ocean.