1.Introduction
The Indian Naval Ship (INS) Sahyadri, a Guided Missile Stealth Frigate of the Indian Navy, is currently at Guam in the Northern Pacific Ocean.
It is participating in the multilateral Exercise Malabar-2025, one of the most significant naval exercises involving key Indo-Pacific nations.
2. About Exercise Malabar
Origin: Began in 1992 as a bilateral exercise between India and the United States.
Expanded Membership:
Japan became a permanent participant in 2015.
Australia joined in 2020, making it a quadrilateral naval exercise involving all QUAD nations (India, USA, Japan, and Australia).
Purpose:
Enhance interoperability and coordination among the navies.
Strengthen the rules-based international order and freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific region.
Promote regional peace, stability, and security.
3. Significance of India’s Participation
Strategic Engagement: Reaffirms India’s commitment to the Indo-Pacific vision and QUAD framework.
Regional Security: Demonstrates a collective resolve to safeguard maritime security, trade routes, and freedom of navigation.
Partnership Strengthening: Highlights India’s enduring partnership with other democratic maritime powers.
Operational Readiness: Provides Indian naval personnel exposure to advanced naval tactics, technology sharing, and joint operations.
4. About INS Sahyadri
Class: Shivalik-class (Project 17) Guided Missile Stealth Frigate.
Design and Construction:
Indigenously designed and built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), Mumbai.
Embodies the vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ (Self-Reliant India).
Capabilities:
Equipped with state-of-the-art stealth features that reduce radar and infrared signatures.
Armed with surface-to-air missiles, anti-ship missiles, torpedoes, and advanced sensors for multi-dimensional warfare.
Designed for anti-submarine, anti-surface, and anti-air operations.
Previous Operations:
Participated in various bilateral and multilateral naval exercises.
Deployed for operational missions across the Indo-Pacific region, showcasing India’s maritime strength.
5. Structure of Exercise Malabar-2025
The exercise is conducted in two main phases:
A. Harbour Phase (at Guam)
Focus: Planning, interaction, and coordination.
Key Activities:
Operational planning discussions.
Communication protocol alignment.
Cross-visits and familiarisation among participating navies.
Professional and cultural exchanges.
Sports events to build camaraderie.
B. Sea Phase
Focus: Execution of complex joint naval operations.
Key Drills Include:
Joint Fleet Operations – coordinated maneuvers among multi-nation fleets.
Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) – detection and neutralisation of submarines.
Gunnery Serials – live weapon firing exercises.
Flying Operations – coordination between ship-based and shore-based aircraft.
Maritime Surveillance and Air Defence Drills.
6. Broader Strategic Context
Indo-Pacific Strategy: Exercise Malabar underlines India’s growing naval role in the Indo-Pacific, balancing regional power dynamics.
Maritime Diplomacy: Reflects India’s emphasis on “Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR)” policy.
Defence Cooperation: Enhances trust, communication, and technical coordination among partner navies.
Deterrence: Sends a message of collective preparedness against any maritime threats or coercive tactics in international waters.
7. Relevance for UPSC Exam
GS Paper II (IR Section): India’s role in multilateral engagements and Indo-Pacific cooperation.
GS Paper III (Security Section): Maritime security, defence modernization, and indigenisation under Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
Essay Paper: Topics related to India’s foreign policy and regional stability in the Indo-Pacific.
8. Conclusion
The participation of INS Sahyadri in Exercise Malabar-2025 symbolizes:
India’s strategic alignment with like-minded nations.
Its commitment to maritime security and a free and open Indo-Pacific.
And the growing success of India’s indigenisation efforts in building advanced naval platforms like INS Sahyadri.
