INS Sahyadri Concludes Yokosuka Visit After MALABAR 2026

India’s indigenous guided-missile stealth frigate INS Sahyadri departed Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, on 12 November 2026, after participating in Exercise MALABAR 2026. The ship had arrived at the base on 4 November.

MALABAR 2026

Held from 5 to 12 November, the exercise brought together the navies of India, Japan, the United States and Australia. It marked the exercise’s 30th year and its sixth edition involving all four Quad nations. The Harbour and Sea Phases focused on operational coordination, interoperability and professional expertise. Sea Phase activities included Anti-Submarine Warfare, Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS) drills, Maritime Interdiction Operations, gunnery exercises, replenishment approaches and cross-deck landings.

Participating Naval Assets

Other participating vessels included Japan’s helicopter destroyer JS Ise and frigate JS Mogami, Australia’s frigate HMAS Stuart, and US Navy amphibious transport docks USS Anchorage and USS John P. Murtha. The exercise’s culmination reaffirmed the participating navies’ commitment to maritime cooperation and collective security in the Indo-Pacific region, in line with India’s MAHASAGAR vision.

Important Facts for Exams

• Frigate class: INS Sahyadri is a Shivalik-class stealth multi-role frigate built for the Indian Navy.
• Design improvements: The Shivalik class improved stealth and land-attack capabilities compared with the preceding Talwar-class frigates.
• Exercise origins: Exercise Malabar began in 1992 as a bilateral naval exercise between India and the United States.