Participation in Quad Member Joint Exercises for 2 Months
Considering Border Disputes with China, Taiwan Strait Likely to Be Avoided
[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] The Indian government announced that it will dispatch four warships to the South China Sea, raising expectations of increased military tensions not only in the South China Sea but also along the China-India border region. India stated that the warships to be dispatched will participate in maritime joint exercises with Quad member countries, a U.S.-led military coalition aimed at countering China, as well as joint exercises with Southeast Asian countries over approximately two months.
On the 3rd (local time), the Indian Ministry of Defense released a statement announcing that it will send four of its warships to the South China Sea for two months and plans to conduct joint exercises with the navies of Quad member countries including the United States, Japan, and Australia. Additionally, it is reported that joint exercises will be held with Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam, Singapore, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Although the Indian Ministry of Defense did not disclose the exact departure schedule, it is known that the ships are planned to set sail within this month.
In its statement, the Indian Ministry of Defense said, "Based on shared maritime interests and a commitment to freedom of navigation, we will strengthen synergy and coordination between the Indian Navy and allied countries." This marks direct participation in U.S. cooperation aimed at countering China, alongside Germany, which dispatched a frigate to the South China Sea the previous day.
In particular, since there were two bloody clashes in the border area with China last year, it is expected that China will feel even greater tension. Colin Koh, a researcher at the Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, told CNN, "The very dispatch of Indian warships is enough to alert China that India could engage in conflict with China in the Western Pacific." However, he added, "Given that clashes between the two sides are likely to escalate into full-scale war, it seems unlikely that Indian warships will actually move through sensitive routes such as the Taiwan Strait."
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