<p class="title">Moving a step towards consolidating the Quad, the Indian Air Force is set to send its Su-30MKI fighter jets to Australia for its maiden participation in the multilateral air Exercise Pitch Black 2018.</p>.<p class="bodytext">At least four to five front-line combat aircraft and one C-17 transporter will fly to Australia in July for the three-week-long air exercise between July 27 and August 17.</p>.<p class="bodytext">This will be India's maiden participation in the biggest air combat training programme in the southern hemisphere involving several other air forces, sources told <span class="italic">DH</span>.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In 2015, India and Australia had agreed on the IAF's participation in the multilateral war game.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Following a bilateral meeting between the then defence minister Manohar Parrikar and his Australian counterpart Kevin Andrews, the two sides gave a public statement on India's presence at Pitch Black 2016.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The IAF, however, couldn't make it because of certain operational issues.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In January this year, Australian Defence Industry Ministry Christopher Pyne confirmed India's participation at Pitch Black 2018 while giving a lecture at the National Defence College in Delhi.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Taking place once in every two years since 2006, the drill began with Singapore, Thailand, the UK and the US and grew to include France and Malaysia in 2008.</p>.<p class="bodytext">New Zealand participated for the first time in 2010, followed by Indonesia in 2012.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The United Arab Emirates also took part in 2014, followed by Canada, Germany and Netherlands in 2016.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The manoeuvres — practised largely in vast stretches of northern Australia — is to learn more about offensive counter air and defensive counter air combat in a simulated environment.</p>.<p class="bodytext">India-Australia strategic relations are slowly on the rise. The two navies began their annual maritime exercise in 2015 and a second edition took place in 2017.</p>.<p class="bodytext">New Delhi, however, didn't permit Canberra to be part of the Malabar multilateral naval exercise involving the US and Japanese Navy.</p>.<p class="bodytext">India's decision earned a rare praise from China.</p>.<p class="bodytext">India, Japan, Australia and the US are believed to have formed a Quad to tackle a rising China in the Indo-Pacific region.</p>.<p class="bodytext">But only sketchy official details on the Quad are available from any of these nations.</p>
<p class="title">Moving a step towards consolidating the Quad, the Indian Air Force is set to send its Su-30MKI fighter jets to Australia for its maiden participation in the multilateral air Exercise Pitch Black 2018.</p>.<p class="bodytext">At least four to five front-line combat aircraft and one C-17 transporter will fly to Australia in July for the three-week-long air exercise between July 27 and August 17.</p>.<p class="bodytext">This will be India's maiden participation in the biggest air combat training programme in the southern hemisphere involving several other air forces, sources told <span class="italic">DH</span>.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In 2015, India and Australia had agreed on the IAF's participation in the multilateral war game.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Following a bilateral meeting between the then defence minister Manohar Parrikar and his Australian counterpart Kevin Andrews, the two sides gave a public statement on India's presence at Pitch Black 2016.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The IAF, however, couldn't make it because of certain operational issues.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In January this year, Australian Defence Industry Ministry Christopher Pyne confirmed India's participation at Pitch Black 2018 while giving a lecture at the National Defence College in Delhi.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Taking place once in every two years since 2006, the drill began with Singapore, Thailand, the UK and the US and grew to include France and Malaysia in 2008.</p>.<p class="bodytext">New Zealand participated for the first time in 2010, followed by Indonesia in 2012.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The United Arab Emirates also took part in 2014, followed by Canada, Germany and Netherlands in 2016.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The manoeuvres — practised largely in vast stretches of northern Australia — is to learn more about offensive counter air and defensive counter air combat in a simulated environment.</p>.<p class="bodytext">India-Australia strategic relations are slowly on the rise. The two navies began their annual maritime exercise in 2015 and a second edition took place in 2017.</p>.<p class="bodytext">New Delhi, however, didn't permit Canberra to be part of the Malabar multilateral naval exercise involving the US and Japanese Navy.</p>.<p class="bodytext">India's decision earned a rare praise from China.</p>.<p class="bodytext">India, Japan, Australia and the US are believed to have formed a Quad to tackle a rising China in the Indo-Pacific region.</p>.<p class="bodytext">But only sketchy official details on the Quad are available from any of these nations.</p>
