Exercise Malabar
Indian Naval Ship (INS) Sahyadri is at Guam in the Northern Pacific for participation in the multilateral Exercise Malabar-2025.
About Exercise Malabar
Exercise Malabar is an annual multilateral naval exercise involving the navies of the four "Quad" nations: India, the United States, Japan, and Australia. It began in 1992 as a bilateral exercise between India and the U.S., expanding over the years to its current quadrilateral format.
Key Details
- Participants: The permanent participants are the navies of India (IN), the United States (USN), Japan (JMSDF), and Australia (RAN).
- Purpose: The primary goal is to enhance cooperation, interoperability, and mutual understanding among the participating navies to address shared maritime challenges. It reflects the nations' shared commitment to a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region and a rules-based international order.
- Activities: The exercises involve a wide range of complex activities, including anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-air warfare (AAW), surface warfare operations, maritime interdiction, cross-deck helicopter operations, and special forces drills.
- Location: The location of the exercise alternates annually between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. The 2024 edition was hosted by India in the Bay of Bengal off the coast of Visakhapatnam.
Evolution of the Exercise
| Year |
Development |
| 1992 |
Initiated as a bilateral naval exercise between India and the United States. |
| 2015 |
Japan joined as a permanent member, making it a trilateral exercise. |
| 2020 |
Australia became a full participant, formalizing the quadrilateral (Quad) format. |
Exercise Malabar serves as a key defense collaboration under the Quad framework, growing in complexity and sophistication over the years to address evolving regional security dynamics.
Key Facts about Exercise Malabar-2025
Exercise Malabar 2025 is the 29th edition of the annual quadrilateral naval exercise involving the navies of the Quad nations: India, the United States, Japan, and Australia. The exercise is currently underway in the Northern Pacific off the coast of Guam, a U.S. territory.
Key Facts
- Participants: The naval forces of all four Quad members are participating:
- India: Represented by the indigenously designed and constructed guided-missile stealth frigate INS Sahyadri.
- United States: Units include the USS Abraham Lincoln (nuclear-powered aircraft carrier), the USS Spruance (guided-missile destroyer), and a Virginia-class submarine.
- Japan: Participating assets include the JS Izumo (helicopter carrier) and a Soryu-class submarine.
- Australia: Represented by a Collins-class submarine.
- Location: The waters off the coast of Guam in the Northern Pacific Ocean. The U.S. is the host nation for this edition.
- Dates: The exercise is running from October 28 to November 8, 2025.
- Phases: The exercise is split into two phases:
- Harbour Phase: October 28–31, focused on operational planning, discussions, communication protocol alignment, and professional exchanges.
- Sea Phase: November 1–8, featuring complex naval drills, joint fleet operations, anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-air warfare (AAW), surface combat, gunnery serials, and cross-deck flying operations.
- Objectives: The primary aim is to enhance interoperability, coordination, and communication among the four navies to effectively operate as a cohesive force. The exercise demonstrates a collective resolve to safeguard a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region and promotes maritime security coordination.
- Significance: Malabar 2025 highlights the deepening strategic alignment and military cooperation among the Quad nations. It sends a strong signal regarding their shared commitment to regional stability and a rules-based international order amid shared concerns over China's assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific.
Download Pdf
