US military exercises in Southeast Asia reveal a new Indo-Pacific strategy
“This suggests that the US presence in Southeast Asia will likely include the establishment of garrisons on islands near the South China Sea. The goal is not only to demonstrate commitment to allies but also to test capabilities in the context of potential conflicts. Evidence of this is the Balikatan 2025 exercise. In contrast to Balikatan in 2017 under Trump 1.0, which was aimed at logistics and humanitarian relief, Balikatan 2025 is the largest, featuring real-world firepower and the participation of many partners outside the region. This is a shift from ‘risk prevention’ to ‘deterrence,’ reflecting a change not only in the approach to new military exercises but also in the preemptive thinking of hawkish security officials in the White House.”
“Second, in addition to traditional exercises, [Free and Open Indo-Pacific] FOIP 2.0 is expected to expand the form of military presence through more flexible measures. One of the important plans is to deploy a short-term military presence instead of building fixed bases. The US will establish a rotational military presence in key locations, which will control financial resources, reduce the risk of political confrontation, and maintain rapid response capabilities. Flexible tactical training activities and intensive exchanges such as the Combat Casualty Care Exchange program in the Philippines or the Tiger Balm 2025 exercise in Singapore have shown that this form of deployment is designed to increase short-term presence.”
Source: Modern Diplomacy