日米豪印と仏、共同海上訓練　連携強化、中国けん制―ベンガル湾

　【ニューデリー時事】インド東方のベンガル湾で５日、海上自衛隊と米国、オーストラリア、インド、フランス海軍による共同訓練「ラ・ペルーズ」が始まった。この訓練へのインドの参加は初めて。３月に初の首脳会談を開いた日米豪印（通称クアッド）は、仏との連携を強めることで、インド太平洋地域への進出を図る中国をけん制したい考えだ。
　訓練は仏が主導し、７日まで続く。海自の護衛艦「あけぼの」をはじめ各国から計８隻が参加、対空戦、海上戦などの訓練を行う予定だ。インドメディアによれば、訓練の司令官となる仏強襲揚陸艦「トネール」のアルノー・トランシャン艦長は訓練を前に「共同訓練を通じ相互運用性の強化を目指す」と語った。
　仏はインド洋や南太平洋に海外領土を持ち、中国の進出を警戒。今回の訓練の目的について、相互運用性強化のほか「戦略的地域での仏の展開能力の実証」（在印仏大使館）も掲げている。（2021/04/05-18:10）

Three-day joint naval exercises among the Quad countries--Japan, the United States, Australia and India--and France began in the Bay of Bengal, part of the Indian Ocean, on Monday.
   It is the first time for India to take part in the French-led exercise, La Perouse. The five nations will conduct training for anti-aircraft and maritime warfare, among other drills.
   After holding their first summit in March, the Quad countries now aim to work with France to keep a check on China, which is increasing its expansion into the Indo-Pacific region.
   A total of eight vessels, including the Akebono destroyer of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force, are participating in the drills. Arnaud Tranchant, captain of the Tonnerre amphibious assault ship of the French navy, who heads the joint drills, said that the exercises are intended to strengthen interoperability, according to Indian media.
   France, which has territories in the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean, is concerned about China's growing maritime activities. France is aiming to demonstrate its deployment capabilities in its strategic regions, on top of reinforcing interoperability, through the drills, an official of the French Embassy in New Delhi said.