By Aroonim Bhuyan
New Delhi. India’s indigenous stealth guided-missile frigate INS Sahyadri arrived at Yokosuka Naval Base in Japan on November 4 to participate in the multilateral naval exercise MALABAR 2026, underscoring the growing maritime partnership between India and Japan and New Delhi’s commitment to strengthening security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.
The warship, belonging to the Indian Navy’s Eastern Fleet, received a warm welcome from the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) upon its arrival.
According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Defence, the welcoming ceremony was attended by Vice Admiral Yagi Koji, Commandant of the Yokosuka District, and R Madhu Sudan, Deputy Chief of the Indian Mission in Japan.
MALABAR 2026 brings together the navies of India, Japan, the US and Australia, providing a significant platform for the four maritime partners to enhance operational coordination, improve interoperability and exchange professional expertise. The exercise involves a series of engagements both in harbour and at sea, aimed at strengthening their ability to operate together in an increasingly complex maritime security environment.
The harbour phase will feature professional interactions, discussions and coordinated operational planning among participating naval personnel. This will be followed by the sea phase, during which INS Sahyadri will operate alongside naval units from Japan, the US and Australia in a series of coordinated maritime activities.
The exercise is expected to provide participating navies with an opportunity to refine joint operational procedures, deepen mutual understanding and enhance their capacity to respond collectively to emerging maritime challenges. Such engagements are particularly significant against the backdrop of growing strategic competition and evolving security concerns across the Indo-Pacific region.
India’s participation also reflects the expanding scope of its defence and maritime engagement with like-minded countries, particularly in ensuring freedom of navigation, maritime security and stability across the region.
The deployment of INS Sahyadri for the exercise further highlights the Indian Navy’s emphasis on indigenous naval capabilities and its growing role in multilateral maritime cooperation. It is also consistent with India’s MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) vision which seeks to promote cooperative maritime security, regional partnerships and sustainable growth through engagement with countries across the wider Indian Ocean and Indo-Pacific regions.
Through its participation in MALABAR 2026, the Indian Navy is seeking to reinforce strategic trust and operational cooperation with the three partner navies while contributing to the shared objective of maintaining a free, open, secure and stable Indo-Pacific.
