Pariksha SaathiINS Sahyadri arrives at Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, for Exercise MALABAR 2026 with the navies of India, Japan, the United States and Australia
The Indian Navy's indigenous guided missile stealth frigate INS Sahyadri, of the Eastern Fleet, arrived at Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, on 4 November 2026 to participate in the multilateral naval exercise MALABAR 2026, the Ministry of Defence said. The ship was accorded a warm welcome by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), a welcome the Ministry said reflects the enduring strategic partnership and growing maritime cooperation between India and Japan; the welcome ceremony was attended by Vice Admiral Yagi Koji, Commandant, Yokosuka District, and R Madhu Sudan, Deputy Chief of the Indian Mission. MALABAR 2026 brings together the navies of India, Japan, the United States and Australia, giving the participating maritime forces an opportunity to enhance operational coordination, strengthen interoperability and exchange professional expertise through engagements in harbour and at sea. The harbour phase will include professional interactions and coordinated planning, followed by a sea phase involving INS Sahyadri and participating units of the United States, Australia and Japan; according to the Ministry, these engagements will strengthen mutual trust and cooperation and contribute to a secure and stable Indo-Pacific. The Ministry said INS Sahyadri's participation underscores the Indian Navy's commitment to maritime partnerships with like-minded navies in the region, in consonance with the vision of MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions).
Drafted with AI assistance from the official PIB release linked above and checked against it by a second AI pass. Not line-edited by a human.
Learning context
On 5 October 2024 PIB published a curtain raiser for Maritime Exercise Malabar 2024, scheduled from 08 to 18 October 2024, beginning with the Harbour Phase in Visakhapatnam, followed by the Sea Phase. That edition was to be hosted by India, with the participation of Australia, Japan and the United States. According to the release, Exercise Malabar began in 1992 as a bilateral naval drill between the United States and Indian Navy and has evolved into a key multilateral event aimed at enhancing interoperability, fostering mutual understanding and addressing shared maritime challenges in the Indian Ocean and Indo-Pacific region. Australia was to deploy HMAS Stuart, an Anzac class frigate; the United States Navy USS Dewey, an Arleigh Burke class destroyer; and Japan JS Ariake, a Murasame class destroyer, while Special Forces from all four nations were also to take part. Planned activities included a Subject Matter Expert Exchange on special operations and surface, air and anti-submarine warfare, and anti-submarine warfare, surface warfare and air defence exercises at sea.
Check yourself: in which year did Exercise Malabar begin, and as what kind of drill between which two navies?
In 1992, as a bilateral naval drill between the United States and Indian Navy.
Revision task: from this release, note the ship and its fleet, where and when it arrived, who welcomed it, the four navies named, what the harbour and sea phases will include and the expansion of MAHASAGAR; from the note, the year Malabar began and between whom, and the host, venue, dates and participating ships of Malabar 2024. Remember that the 2026 release does not name a host or give the exercise dates.
Test yourself
At which naval base did the Indian Navy's frigate INS Sahyadri arrive on 4 November 2026 to participate in the multilateral naval exercise MALABAR 2026?
Show the answer
Answer: Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan
INS Sahyadri, an indigenous guided missile stealth frigate of the Eastern Fleet, arrived at Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, on 4 November 2026 for MALABAR 2026 and was welcomed by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. The exercise brings together the navies of India, Japan, the United States and Australia, with a harbour phase followed by a sea phase.
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