What happened
On October 14, 2025, the inaugural edition of the India-South Korea naval bilateral exercise began at Busan Naval Base, marking a significant milestone in the growing strategic partnership between the Indian Navy (IN) and Republic of Korea Navy (RoKN). INS Sahyadri, currently on operational deployment to the South China Sea and Indo-Pacific, arrived at Busan to participate in the maiden exercise. The South Korean Navy extended a ceremonial welcome, highlighting the deepening navy-to-navy cooperation between the two countries.
Why it matters to India
INS Sahyadri, an indigenously designed Shivalik-class stealth frigate commissioned in 2012, reflects India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision and operates as part of the Eastern Fleet under the Eastern Naval Command. The exercise comprises harbour and sea phases to enhance interoperability, trust, and mutual understanding. Harbour activities include cross-deck visits, professional exchanges, best practice sharing, and sports fixtures, while the sea phase features joint manoeuvres and operational exercises with ROKS Gyeongnam. The exercise reinforces India’s role as a responsible maritime stakeholder and “Preferred Security Partner” in the Indo-Pacific, setting the stage for more complex and larger-scale engagements between the two navies in the future.