INS Sahyadri docks at Guam for Malabar-2025, showcases India's naval strength amid strained India-US ties

New Delhi, Nov 9 As part of the QUAD Naval exercise, INS Sahyadri, has reached at Guam in the Northern Pacific for participation in the crucial multilateral exercise Malabar-2025.

"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 said.

Indigenously designed and constructed, INS Sahyadri is a guided missile stealth frigate.

"The ship is a shining example of the 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' vision and has participated in several bilateral and multilateral exercises, as well as operational deployments," the official said.

The Harbour Phase of Exercise Malabar-2025 will feature operational planning and discussions, alignment on communication protocols, familiarisation visits between participating nations, and sports fixtures.

Following the harbour phase, all participating units will proceed for the Sea Phase, wherein ships and aircraft will take part in naval drills, focusing on joint fleet operations, anti-submarine warfare, gunnery serials and flying operations.

Notably, Quad members include -- India, the US, Australia and Japan.

This exercise comes at the backdrop of a strain in the Indo-US bilateral relations after President Donald Trump imposed heavy tariffs on India for its import of oil from Russia and repeatedly claiming that he brokered the ceasefire between India-Pakistan, a claim New Delhi denies.

Despite a rough phase in the bilateral relations, the defence and diplomatic engagement continues.

Also, the 21st edition of Exercise Yudh Abhyas 2025, the annual bilateral Army-to-Army exercise between India and the United States, concluded in September after two weeks of rigorous training in Alaska.

As part of the exercise, a total of 450 soldiers from each side took part in field and command post drills while also engaging with subject-matter experts to further strengthen operational synergy.

The Indian side was led by a battalion of the Madras Regiment, with soldiers of the US Army’s 11th Airborne Division.

The exercise was conducted from September 1-14 at Fort Wainwright and the Yukon Training Area in Alaska.

The 2025 edition was one of the largest bilateral military exercises for the Indian Army in terms of troops mobilised.

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