Dr RUP NARAYAN DAS Although the Malabar is a routine exercise which has been carried out for several years now, security experts attach a lot of traction to it in view of China’s assertive behaviour in the South China Sea, observes Rup Narayan Das. Yet another edition of the Malabar naval exercise comprising the Quad countries — India, the USA, Japan and Australia — kick starts from Thursday, August 26 in Guam, an American island territory in the Western Pacific. This will be the 21st exercise, which started at a bilateral level between India and the USA in 1992. Japan...