EXERCISE MALABAR
What’s the News
- The Indian Naval Ship (INS) Sahyadri has reached Guam, an island in the Northern Pacific Ocean, to take part in Exercise Malabar 2025 — a major multilateral naval exercise.
- The exercise involves the navies of India, the United States, Japan, and Australia.
INDIA’S PARTICIPATION
- INS Sahyadri is representing India in the exercise.
- It is an indigenously designed and built Guided Missile Stealth Frigate, showcasing the Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) initiative in defence production.
- The ship has previously participated in many international exercises and missions, reflecting India’s strong naval capabilities and partnerships.
PHASES OF EXERCISE MALABAR 2025
- Harbour Phase (at port):
- Involves operational discussions, planning sessions, and communication alignment between the participating countries.
- Includes familiarisation visits (crew from each country visit each other’s ships) and sports events to promote friendship and coordination.
- Sea Phase (at sea):
- Focuses on practical naval drills and operations, such as:
- Joint fleet operations
- Anti-submarine warfare
- Gunnery serials (target practice)
- Flying operations (aircraft coordination at sea)
- Focuses on practical naval drills and operations, such as:
| Aspect | Details |
| Started in | 1992 |
| Initially between | India and the United States |
| First held in Bay of Bengal | 2007 |
| Became trilateral (India-US-Japan) | 2015 |
| Australia joined (making it QUAD exercise) | 2020 |
| Where it is held | Alternately in the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean |
| Nature | Annual naval exercise among QUAD countries |
| Purpose | Strengthen coordination, enhance interoperability, and address shared maritime challenges |
| Focus areas | Security in the Indo-Pacific region, freedom of navigation, and maritime stability |
ABOUT INS SAHYADRI
| Feature | Details |
| Class | Shivalik-class Guided Missile Stealth Frigate |
| Builder | Built indigenously in India |
| Key Feature | Stealth design — makes it hard to detect by radar |
| Role | Capable of surface, air, and underwater warfare |
| Significance | Represents India’s self-reliance in naval defence (Aatmanirbhar Bharat) |
WHY THIS EXERCISE IS IMPORTANT?
- Strengthens India’s strategic ties with other QUAD nations (US, Japan, Australia).
- Enhances joint operational capabilities of participating navies.
- Promotes maritime security and freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific region.
- Demonstrates India’s growing naval strength and indigenous defence production.
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