India has finally extended an invitation to Australia to join the Malabar Exercise 2020 which also includes the US and Japan. Australia will join the Malabar exercise after 13 years – Canberra last participated in the Naval drills in 2007. This year the exercise is expected to be held in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea and is scheduled to be held in November. “As India seeks to increase cooperation with other countries in the maritime security domain and in the light of increased defence cooperation with Australia, Malabar 2020 will see the participation of the Australian Navy,” Ministry of Defence said in a statement on Monday. In the backdrop of Chinese aggression, New Delhi’s decision came after the Quad countries – the US, Japan, India and Australia met in Tokyo on October 6. While all the four members are facing hostilities from China, the officials of Japan, India and Australia refrained from using China’s name although the US’ State Secretary, Mike Pompeo, didn’t hold bac
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