New Delhi Mar 21 PTI Australia will continue to be part of the Malabar naval exercise Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said on Monday in a clear indication that all the Quad member nations will participate in it Australia was part of the mega naval exercise in 2020 and 2021 As you know Australia has been inducted into the Malabar framework They have participated in Malabar exercises in 2020 and 2021 And they will continue to be part of the Malabar lets say group of countries that participate in these exercises he said I think we will certainly look forward to the participation of all concerned Shringla added The foreign secretary was addressing a media briefing following a virtual summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison The Malabar exercise started in 1992 as a bilateral drill between the Indian Navy and the US Navy in the Indian Ocean Japan became a permanent member of the exercise in 2015 Australias participation in the exercise in the last two editions make it a drill involving all the four Quad countries -- India the US Australia and Japan PTI MPB SMN SMN

New Delhi Sep 17 PTI Australia on Friday said its decision to join a historic security pact with the US and UK is aimed at securing the Indo-Pacific and developing capabilities that can contribute along with India and other countries to deter behaviour that threatens peace and security in the regionThe partnership seen as an effort to counter China in the Indo-Pacific will allow the US and UK to provide Australia with the technology to develop nuclear-powered submarines for the first timeAustralias High Commissioner to India Barry OFarrell said strengthening Australias defence capabilities through nuclear-powered submarines will form part of the countrys contribution to a secure and prosperous Indo-PacificThe envoy said the Australian prime minister the foreign minister and the defence minister spoke to their counterparts in India to inform them of the decision before the announcement on the AUKUS Australia the UK and the US partnership was madeThe decision reflects a much more challenging strategic environment an environment we share with India where great power competition is intensifying where territorial tensions in the South China Sea Taiwan and elsewhere are becoming more challenging he saidIndo-Pacific investment in military capability is proceeding at an unprecedented rate and of course that latter point is being driven by China which has the largest military modernisation programme underway in the world he told reportersOFarrell said the investment in the Indo-Pacific in developing military capability is proceeding at an unprecedented rate and it is being driven by China which has the largest military modernisation programme underway in the worldSo strengthening Australias defence capabilities through nuclear-powered submarines will form part of Australias contribution to a secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific and that capability will increase Australias strategic weight and allow us to more effectively shape our regions future trajectory he saidOFarrell said Australia has taken the decision after deep and serious thoughtIt is in response to those changing strategic circumstances but its also part of our relationship bilaterally trilaterally and quadrilaterally across the region he saidThese partnerships including the partnerships that weve announced in relation to submarines with the US and the UK reinforce existing regional structures including our shared commitment to ASEAN centrality he saidThe high commissioner said Australia is striving to retain an inclusive regional order where the rights of all states are respected whether they are big states or small statesWe want to contribute to strategic reassurance measures that ensure no one country believes they can advance their strategic ambitions through conflict he said in a clear reference to ChinaIts not about seeking to provoke any particular regional power rather its about ensuring we have capabilities that contribute along with India and other countries to deterring the types of behaviour that threatens the peace and security in the Indo-Pacific today and in the future OFarrell saidThe high commissioner said nuclear-powered submarines will provide Australia with the capability it now believes it needs for its defence as they can travel faster they can travel for a longer range and they have greater power and enduranceThe decision reflects a much more challenging strategic environment an environment we share with India where great power competition is intensifying where territorial tensions in the South China Sea Taiwan and elsewhere are becoming more challenging he saidThe AUKUS Australia the UK and the US partnership is also aimed at facilitating sharing of various other critical technologies among the partner countriesThrough AUKUS our governments will strengthen the ability of each to support our security and defence interests building on our longstanding and ongoing bilateral ties a joint statement issued by US President Joe Biden Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and British PM Boris Johnson saidIt said the three countries will promote deeper information and technology sharing and will significantly deepen cooperation on a range of security and defence capabilitiesAs the first initiative under AUKUS recognising our common tradition as maritime democracies we commit to a shared ambition to support Australia in acquiring nuclear-powered submarines for the Royal Australian Navy it said The statement said the development of Australias nuclear-powered submarines would be a joint endeavour by the three nations with a focus on interoperability commonality and mutual benefitFrance criticised its exclusion from the alliance saying it reflects a lack of coherence when common challenges are being faced in the Indo-Pacific regionIn its reaction China criticised the security alliance saying it will gravely undermine regional stability and aggravate the arms race PTI MPB DV DV