NEW DELHI: While the maritime forces of the Quad nations are together exercising in the Indian Ocean as part of a multinational exercise, the foreign ministers of India, Australia and Japan are expected to meet a day after Donald Trump takes oath as the 47th US President on January 20.The Indian Navy’s indigenously designed and built guided missile destroyer, INS Mumbai, is participating in the fourth edition of the multinational exercise, La Perouse. It is a France-led biennial multinational maritime exercise.Elaborating on its participation, the Indian Navy said, “The exercise showcases the high levels of synergy, coordination and interoperability between the like-minded navies and their commitment to a rules-based international order in the maritime domain.”It added, “This edition will witness participation of personnel, and surface and sub-surface assets from maritime partners including Royal Australian Navy, French Navy, Royal Navy, United States Navy, Indonesian Navy, Royal Malaysian Navy, Republic of Singapore Navy and Royal Canadian Navy.”The informal grouping of India, the US, Japan and Australia is called QUAD. The exercise aims, said the Navy, to develop “common maritime situational awareness by enhancing the cooperation in the field of maritime surveillance, maritime interdiction operations and air operations along with the conduct of progressive training and information sharing.”
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