New Delhi: The navies of India, the United States, Japan and Australia have commenced Exercise Malabar 2026 at Yokosuka, Japan, on November 5, bringing together all four Quad partners for advanced multi-domain maritime training. The exercise aimed to strengthen operational coordination, interoperability and collective maritime capabilities in support of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific.
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India is participating with INS Sahyadri, an indigenously designed and built Shivalik-class guided-missile stealth frigate from the Indian Navy's Eastern Fleet. The warship arrived at Yokosuka Naval Base on November 4 and received a formal welcome from the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF).
The exercise is being conducted in two phases — harbour and sea. The harbour phase focused on professional interactions, operational planning and coordination, while the sea phase involves combined naval operations across surface, underwater, air and information domains. The drills included anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare and coordinated maritime operations.
Japan is deploying the helicopter destroyer JS Ise, Mogami-class frigate JS Mogami, a submarine and a P-1 maritime patrol aircraft. Australia's participation includes frigate HMAS Stuart and a P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, while the United States is deploying a P-8A aircraft and an amphibious transport dock.
Malabar began in 1992 as a bilateral naval exercise between India and the United States. Japan became a regular participant in 2015, while Australia joined the four-nation format in 2020, bringing all Quad countries together. Over the years, the exercise has expanded in scope to include increasingly complex maritime operations.
The 2026 edition reinforced the four countries' commitment to maritime cooperation, freedom of navigation and regional stability. India's participation also aligned with its MAHASAGAR vision — Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions — and its wider engagement with Indo-Pacific partners.
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