“Capable, Adaptive, Partners.”
That’s the theme for the biennial Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise – the largest international maritime exercise in the world, hosted by the US, and this year, conducted with 26 countries including India.
This year, Brazil, Israel, Vietnam and Sri Lanka will be participating for the first time. And though China was initially invited and has been participating since 2014, the US withdrew that extended hand of friendship after China’s militarisation of disputed features in the South China Sea.
So how big is RIMPAC and what’s its goal?
How Big Is It?
Running from 27 June to 2 August, RIMPAC 2018 involves 47 surface ships, 5 submarines, over 200 aircraft, land forces from 18 countries and 25,000 personnel – the US invites its allies and countries that lie along the rim of the Pacific Ocean to participate in these exercises.
Most of the ships, aircraft and submarines belong to US forces, and this massive congregation will conduct an array of exercises around the Hawaiian islands and off the coast of southern California in the US.
India is sending one ship, the INS Sahyadri, an indigenously built guided missile frigate.
What Are They Practising For?
The 26 countries involved this year will be coordinating their navies – ships, submarines, and personnel – to strengthen their ability to work together cohesively (inter-operability), and also as a show of force. The participating nations consist largely of the US and its friends and allies – except for in 2014 and 2016, when China joined in – coordinating on a range of activities.
Disaster relief, anti-piracy operations, maritime security operations, warfighting, amphibious operations, mine-clearing, and anti-submarine and air defence exercises are some of the activities they conduct, according to a statement released by the US 3rd fleet.
With ‘Partners’ being an important part of the theme of these exercises, it’s clear that multilateralism and upkeep of alliances is one of the most important factors, with the coordination and cooperation of these impressive forces also serving as a deterrent to would-be revisionist powers.
And when it comes to the Indo-Pacific, a major sticking point for the US and its allies has been the paramount importance of keeping sea lanes open and freedom of navigation unimpeded, particularly in the South China Sea – a marginal sea in the Pacific, but a highly disputed one.
RIMPAC 2018 contributes to the increased lethality, resiliency and agility needed by the joint and combined force to deter and defeat aggression by major powers across all domains and levels of conflict.US 3rd fleet
Why Was China Disinvited?
In May 2018, China took its militarisation of disputed features – reefs and islands – in the South China Sea up a notch, announcing it had landed several bombers on Woody Island, a part of the chain of disputed Paracel Islands, for the first time. This included the H-6K nuclear-capable bomber, putting it in conflict with the other claimants to the islands and with the US, reported CNN.
While China’s militarisation of the Spratly and Paracel Islands have been known for a couple of years now, stepping up its moves by landing nuclear-capable bombers on these disputed sites cannot be mistaken as anything but a direct challenge to the US’ supremacy in these waters – a challenge that the world’s sole superpower can hardly afford to ignore.
As it is, the US has been accused of going soft in the South China Sea, with China’s multiple transgressions against US allies in the region going largely without consequences. Disinviting China from RIMPAC too is merely a diplomatic move, not a military or economic one.
China’s history of participation in these exercises has been controversial. Right from 2014, it has been caught acting in questionable faith.
In RIMPAC 2014, China participated for the first time – and along with its invited ships, it sent an uninvited ship to spy on the exercises and gather intelligence, reports said. While such intelligence gathering in international waters is within the law, the then-commander of US Pacific Command called it “a little odd”, considering the exercise was as much a trust-building one as anything else.
And in RIMPAC 2016, China reportedly rebuffed some Japanese soldiers, disallowing pthem from touring its ships during in-port receptions that participating countries were holding aboard their own ships for Navy personnel from other countries, prompting the US to make public statements about the importance of inclusion at these exercises.
China’s Heated Response
“This is a rash decision.”
China’s Foreign Minister Wang Xi issued a strongly worded press release in response to his country’s disinvitation from the exercise, saying it was “unconstructive” and “imprudent”, China’s People’s Daily Online reported. Reiterating China’s right to construct whatever it wants on its own territory and pointing out similar American actions, Wang Xi, quoted by Global Times, said:
China is only building civilian and necessary defence facilities on our own islands. It is the right of every sovereign state to preserve and defend itself. This is a normal deployment and has nothing to do with militarisation, just like the US has a military presence on Hawaii and Guam. However, China’s deployment is on a much smaller scale. [...] We don’t wish to see any exaggeration or hype over this matter.
Such a comparison by the Chinese FM, however, neglects to mention that the US’ bases on Hawaii and Guam are not on disputed territory.
The Rising Indo-Pacific
In US Ambassador to UN Nikki Haley’s 20-minute speech in New Delhi on 28 June, she referenced the Indo-Pacific 14 times.
And in a signal to India (one of many) that the US is invested in the country as a natural counter to a belligerent China’s rise, the US and international community have phased out use of the term ‘Asia Pacific’ and ‘Indo-Pacific’ is now in prominence.
With the US Pacific Command having been renamed the US Indo-Pacific Command right before RIMPAC, this year’s exercises may take on more significance for India.
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