The combined exercise in the Indian Ocean between our two navies in July 2020, which featured the USS Nimitz carrier strike group, was important. But even more imperative was India’s decision—at our urging—to include Australia in the upcoming Malabar naval exercise among Indian, American, and Japanese forces. Including all members of the Quad in this military exercise, something Beijing opposed and New Delhi had long been reluctant to do, was a major step forward to building the partnerships needed to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific in the years ahead.
