The inaugural edition of India-South Korea naval bilateral exercise began on Monday at Busan Naval Base, marking a new milestone in the growing strategic partnership between Indian Navy (IN) and Republic of Korea Navy (RoKN).
INS Sahyadri, currently on an operational deployment to the South China Sea and Indo-Pacific, arrived at Busan on October 13 to participate in the maiden bilateral exercise. The South Korean Navy extended a ceremonial welcome, underscoring the deepening navy-to-navy cooperation between the two countries.
INS Sahyadri, an indigenously designed and built Shivalik-class stealth frigate commissioned in 2012, exemplifies India’s ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ vision. The ship operates as part of the Eastern Fleet under the Eastern Naval Command, based in Visakhapatnam.
The exercise features both harbour and sea phases aimed at enhancing interoperability, mutual understanding, and trust between the two navies.
During the harbour phase, Indian and South Korean personnel will engage in cross-deck visits, professional exchanges, best practice sharing, sports fixtures, and cross-training sessions. The Commanding Officer of INS Sahyadri will also call on senior RoKN officials and local dignitaries.
The subsequent sea phase will involve complex joint manoeuvres and operational exercises between INS Sahyadri and ROKS Gyeongnam, strengthening tactical coordination and operational synergy.
As the Indo-Pacific assumes increasing geopolitical significance, both India and the Republic of Korea have recognized the importance of building strong maritime partnerships based on shared interests and common values. The launch of this bilateral exercise follows years of planning and dialogue between the two navies.
The Indian Navy’s sustained operational deployment to the South China Sea and the wider Indo-Pacific reflects India’s commitment as a responsible maritime stakeholder and its role as a “Preferred Security Partner” in the region.
This inaugural bilateral exercise is expected to lay the foundation for more complex and larger-scale engagements between the two maritime forces in the future.