Stars and Stripes:
The Navy kicked off a nine-day training exercise with India and Japan one week after U.S. Pacific Command changed its name to U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.
Malabar 2018 began Thursday on Guam and will continue through June 16, with naval ships, aircraft and personnel from the three countries training on land and sea.
Malabar began 26 years ago as an exercise between the U.S. and India, with Japan joining the annual training permanently in 2015.
In past years, the exercise included countries such as Australia and Singapore. Australia hoped to rejoin Malabar again this year, but was not invited, according to a U.S. Naval Institute report. Some Indian and Australian analysts have said the decision may have something to do with Chinese pressure on India.
