Source: PIB
Context:
Indian Naval Ship (INS) Sahyadri has reached Guam in the Northern Pacific Ocean to participate in Exercise Malabar 2025, reaffirming India’s commitment to maritime cooperation, regional stability, and strategic interoperability among the Quad nations — India, the United States, Japan, and Australia.
About Exercise Malabar 2025
Exercise Malabar is a multilateral naval exercise that brings together the navies of India, the United States, Japan, and Australia. It serves as a premier platform to enhance maritime security coordination, interoperability, and joint operational capabilities among the participating nations in the Indo-Pacific region.
Origin:
- Started in 1992 as a bilateral naval drill between India and the United States.
- Japan joined as a permanent member in 2015, followed by Australia in 2020, expanding the scope of the exercise into a Quad-level maritime engagement.
History and Evolution:
- Over the past three decades, Exercise Malabar has transformed from basic search-and-rescue and communication drills to complex multi-domain naval warfare operations.
- The exercise is hosted rotationally by the four member nations, reflecting the principle of shared responsibility for Indo-Pacific security.
Nations Involved:
- India
- United States
- Japan
- Australia
These four represent the Quad (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue) — an alliance focused on promoting a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific.
2025 Host:
- Guam, a strategic U.S. island territory in the Western Pacific, is hosting Malabar 2025, which includes both harbour and sea phases of operations.
