1. NEXT MONTH IN JAPAN, THE INDIAN NAVY WILL PARTICIPATE IN EXERCISE MALABAR.

Context: According to official sources, Japan will host the Malabar naval exercise in 2022, which will include participation from Australia, India, Japan, and the United States, in the second week of November. An official source confirmed that the Indian Navy will take part in the International Fleet Review (IFR), which will be held in the first week of November to mark the 70th anniversary of the Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF).

DETAILS-
• The Indian armed forces have lately participated in a number of bilateral and international exercises, with this being the most recent. The bilateral India-U.S. Army exercise “Yudh Abhyas” is slated to take place towards the end of October in Uttarakhand’s high altitude regions, around 100 km (aerial distance) from the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
• According to two government sources, Australia is eager to host the exercise, but the partner nations have not yet agreed. In 2020, Australia joined Ex Malabar as a regular member.
• According to a statement from the Royal Brunei Navy, the IFR, which will take place in the first week of November, is being held during the “strategic debate” and “plenary session” of the 18th Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS), which is being hosted by Japan from November 5 to 10. India’s participation in the WPNS is not yet certain, though. According to a defence source in the middle of last week, the Defence Ministry has not yet made a decision.

SCO AMBIT
• The 18th Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS), which is being hosted by Japan from November 5 to 10, is where the IFR will take place, according to a statement from the Royal Brunei Navy. The IFR will occur during the first week of November. However, it is not yet definite if India would take part in the WPNS. The Defence Ministry has not yet made a decision, a defence source said in the middle of last week.
• The IAF’s biennial firepower display, “Vayu Shakti,” is still scheduled for later this year despite the large volume of external engagements. This is because of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Due to “the evolving scenario,” it was postponed from its original March date.
• Intensive collaboration in regional and multilateral fora, such as the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS), Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS), Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), and Expert Working Groups subordinate to the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus framework, are among the highlights of the “Joint Guidance for the Australia – India Navy to Navy Relationship” document signed between the Indian Navy and RAN in August 2021.