New Delhi, July 11 -- India is expected to take a call on inviting Australia to join the naval Malabar series of exercises next week as China has been bitterly opposed to the inclusion of Australia in this annual exercise, which includes India, US and Japan.
Beijing opposes any move to include Australia in this prestigious exercise as it may signal militarisation of Quadrilateral (Quad) coalition. The Malabar exercises began in 1992 bilaterally between India and the US. Japan was included in 2015 and since then there were talks to include Australia as an observer in the exercise.
Incidentally, Japan and the US are keen on Australia's inclusion in the Malabar series of exercises and if India assents, the two countries will be duly informed...