- The Balikatan exercise, which means "shoulder to shoulder", has been conducted since 1991, reflecting the Philippines' close ties with the US in foreign policy.
- The joint military exercise aims to strengthen the Philippines' military capabilities and deter China's assertiveness in the region.
- This year's exercise is set to be the largest ever, with over 17,000 troops participating, over 12,000 of whom will be from the US.
- One of the exercises will simulate a defence of a small island in the Philippines and a simulated target warship off the coast of Zambales province in the South China Sea, with live-fire drills involved.
- Under the 1951 Mutual Défense Agreement (MDA), the US and the Philippines have been treaty partners for many years.
- In 2014, the two countries signed the Enhanced Défense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), which is their most recent agreement.
Question:
Q.1 Who have recently started the "Balikatan" joint military exercise in Indo-Pacific region?a. US-Pacific
b. US-China
c. Sri Lanka – China
d. US-Sri Lanka
