MALABAR EXERCISE 2012
Between April 7 and April 16, the United States and India conducted their benchmark annual naval exercise, Malabar 2012. The Malabar exercise has grown in size and complexity over the years, this being the 16th round in a series that began in 1992. From the U.S. side, Malabar 2012 featured the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier Carl Vinson, as well as a submarine and a guided-missile cruiser and destroyer, among other ships. The exercises took place off India’s east coast, near Chennai, and a second phase was conducted west of the Andaman and Nicobar islands, near the mouth of the Strait of Malacca. The exercises involved “boarding operations, air defense exercises, helicopter cross-deck operations and coordinated anti-submarine warfare.” The U.S. 7th Fleet noted the “historic” nature of the exercise in that it was the first time the two navies conducted a “replenishment at sea” with a U.S. aircraft carrier, which was refueled by the INS Shakti. India’s recently-inducted INS Satpura, an indigenously built stealth frigate, also took part in the exercise, along with two destroyers and a corvette. (Times of India April 6, 2012; U.S. Navy; April 17, 2012)
[Editor’s note: The Malabar 2007 exercise is still remembered well in the region. It was the largest war game of its type ever hosted by India, including 25 vessels from India, the United States, Japan, Australia, and Singapore exercising in the Bay of Bengal. The operations took place amid discussions of a new “Quadrilateral Initiative” involving the U.S., Japan, India, and Australia. The robust show of force – two US aircraft carriers participated – as well as the location of the exercise near the Strait of Malacca, provoked the ire of Beijing, which sent diplomatic protests to each of the countries involved. The Quadrilateral Initiative was shelved shortly afterward, although the U.S., India, and Japan, initiated a new “Trilateral Initiative” last year.]
U.S., AFGHANISTAN SIGN STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT
After months of intense negotiations, the United States and Afghanistan have inked an Enduring Strategic Partnership Agreement that will govern the U.S.-Afghan relationship long after the departure of the majority of Coalition troops in 2014. Though short on specifics (the agreement makes no specific commitment on U.S. troop levels or future funding), the agreement broadly outlines long term security guarantees for Afghanistan as well as the structure of development assistance to be provided. The agreement also designates Afghanistan a “major non-NATO ally.” President Obama made an unannounced visit to Afghanistan May 1 to personally sign the agreement with Afghan President Hamid Karzai. “Neither Afghans nor Americans asked for this war,” President Obama said. “For a decade we have stood together. We look forward to a future of peace.” The legally binding executive agreement commits Afghanistan to provide U.S. personnel access to Afghan facilities beyond 2014 for the purpose of training Afghan security forces and targeting al Qaeda. The two countries will next move to negotiations on a Bilateral Security Agreement that will flesh out details of security cooperation. (McClatchy Newspapers May 1, 2012)
U.S.-PAK TALKS REMAIN STALLED
Talks between the United States and Pakistan to break an impasse that has frozen relations since an accidental NATO airstrike killed 24 Pakistani soldiers last year have stalled on the refusal of the U.S. to apologize for the airstrike. Pakistan’s parliament on April 12 passed a resolution urging the government to seek an “unconditional apology” from the U.S. and to put a halt to U.S. drone strikes in Pakistan’s tribal areas, in return for re-opening NATO’s supply routes through Pakistan. U.S. Special Envoy Marc Grossman, who led talks in Pakistan last week, said the apology issue has become a “major hurdle” in negotiations. During talks with Grossman, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari offered to set up a mechanism to find “mutually acceptable alternatives” to US drone strikes, but Pakistan’s Dawn News reported the talks ended “without any progress because of the American refusal to apologize and their refusal to discuss the demand by the [Pakistani] parliament that Washington cease drone attacks.” (Press Trust of India May 2; 2012)
INDIA CUTS IMPORTS OF IRANIAN CRUDE
The two biggest Indian importers of crude from Iran have agreed to cut shipments of Iranian oil by 15%. New Delhi has asked state-owned Mangalore Refinery & Petrochemicals Ltd. and privately-owned Essar Oil Ltd. to curb imports in the year through March 2013. India has come under sustained pressure from Washington to reduce imports of Iranian crude and subscribe to punitive financial measures adopted by the West that go beyond multilateral sanctions agreed to at the UN Security Council. Indian officials have given mixed signals in recent months, with some arguing that Indian refineries are specifically tailored to Iranian crude and insisting imports from Iran would remain unchanged. In February India reached an agreement with Iran to pay for almost half its oil imports in rupees in an attempt to circumvent sanctions. However, “local refiners have found it hard to get U.S. dollar financing, shipping and insurance for Iranian oil.” The U.S. has given Iranian oil importers until June 28 to significantly curb purchases of Iranian crude before being subject to U.S. sanctions. India, as well as South Korea and China, remain potential targets unless the administration certifies they are taking appropriate measures to curb demand for Iranian oil. (Wall St. Journal May 2; 2012)