Tri-Service

PM Wants To Rebuild Britain's Military Presence "East Of Suez"

British participation in military exercises in Southeast Asia will be stepped up as a sign of the UK's commitment to the region.

The move is the latest sign of the Government's intention to reverse the decline in engagement "east of Suez" and will see the number of troops involved in the exercises increase from 100 next year to 200 by 2021, with Typhoon aircraft also set to take part in the wargames.

RAF Typhoons will take part in exercises in the Far East.

The exercises take place under the Five Powers Defence Arrangement (FPDA), which involves the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia and Singapore.

Later this year, British military personnel will take part in Exercise Bersama Lima in Malaysia, including 30 Royal Marines who will contribute to training and capability development.

Next year the UK will send RAF Typhoons to take part In FPDA exercises alongside other "high-end capabilities", British officials said. The FPDA, which dates back to 1971, means that if Malaysia or Singapore came under attack, the other three allies would consult on what action to take in response.

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The UK's withdrawal from engagement east of Suez has been attributed to the decisions of a succession of governments after the Second World War, notably Harold Wilson's Labour administration in the 1960s.

A senior British official said the FPDA announcement was "a bit of us looking back east of Suez, thinking about where future threats and different challenges would come from".