INS Sahyadri Arrives in Guam for QUAD’s Malabar-2025 Naval Exercise

November 9, 2025

New Delhi: As part of the QUAD Naval exercise, the Indian Navy’s INS Sahyadri has reached Guam in the Northern Pacific to participate in the crucial multilateral Exercise Malabar-2025, Navy officials said on Sunday.

India Reaffirms Commitment to Regional Security

“The participation of INS Sahyadri in Exercise Malabar-2025 reaffirms India’s enduring partnership and its commitment to strengthening coordination, enhancing interoperability, and demonstrating a collective resolve to safeguard regional security,” a Naval official stated.

INS Sahyadri — an indigenously designed and built guided missile stealth frigate — is a key example of India’s ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ (self-reliant India) vision and has previously participated in several bilateral and multilateral exercises as well as operational deployments.

Harbour and Sea Phases Planned

The Harbour Phase of Exercise Malabar-2025 will include operational planning sessions, communication protocol alignments, familiarisation visits, and sports fixtures among participating navies.

Following this, the Sea Phase will involve joint fleet operations, anti-submarine warfare drills, gunnery serials, and flying operations aimed at enhancing coordination and readiness among QUAD partners.

Quad Partners: India, US, Japan, Australia

The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD) comprises India, the United States, Japan, and Australia, with Exercise Malabar serving as a key element of the group’s maritime cooperation and strategic alignment in the Indo-Pacific region.

Backdrop: Strain in India-US Relations

This year’s exercise takes place against the backdrop of recent strains in Indo-US bilateral ties, following US President Donald Trump’s decision to impose heavy tariffs on India over its oil imports from Russia. Trump also drew criticism for claiming to have “brokered a ceasefire” between India and Pakistan — a claim New Delhi firmly denied.

Despite these challenges, defence and diplomatic engagement between the two nations continues robustly, officials noted.

Yudh Abhyas 2025 Concluded in Alaska

Earlier, the 21st edition of Exercise Yudh Abhyas 2025, the annual India–US bilateral Army exercise, concluded in September after two weeks of rigorous joint training in Alaska.

A total of 450 soldiers from each side participated in field and command post drills, with expert exchanges to strengthen operational synergy. The Indian contingent was led by a battalion of the Madras Regiment, while the US Army’s 11th Airborne Division represented the American side.

Conducted from September 1–14 at Fort Wainwright and the Yukon Training Area, the 2025 edition marked one of the largest bilateral military exercises for the Indian Army in terms of troop mobilisation.