Eyeing China, Australia accepts India's invitation to rejoin 'quad' drill naval exercises
Vessels from the U.S. Navy, Indian Navy, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and the Philippine Navy sail in formation at sea
Australiawill take part in a large-scale military drill off the coast of India next month that will bring together a quartet of countries concerned by rising Chinese influence.
Australian Defence Minister Linda Reynolds late Monday said the exercise was about "demonstrating our collective resolve to support an open and prosperous Indo-Pacific",a well-used allusion to countering China's authoritarian power.
The drill comes at a time of diplomatic tensions between China and Australia, economic tensions between China and the United States and military tensions between China and India.
India, which holds the annual drills called Malabar with the USand Japanese navies each year, hadinvited Australia for next month's exercise in the Bay of Bengal, it said, in a sign of cooperation between the "Quad" countries.
"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," the defence ministry said in a statement.
Australia will be returning to the joint manoeuvres after its participation in 2007, which drew criticism from China at the time.
Over the last few decades, China has tried to significantly increase influence in Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh, prompting acute concern in New Delhi.
The United States has been pushing for a deeper collaboration with Japan, India and Australia as a bulwark against China's growing regional influence.