INS Sahyadri Joins India-Japan Maritime Exercise JAIMEX 25

Marking another milestone in the expanding India-Japan defence partnership, the Indian Navy’s INS Sahyadri has arrived at Yokosuka, Japan, to participate in the Japan-India Maritime Exercise (JAIMEX) 2025. The high-level bilateral naval drill, conducted from October 16–17, signifies deepening defence cooperation and strategic alignment between the two Indo-Pacific democracies. The exercise comes amid growing maritime challenges in the region and underlines a shared commitment to peace, stability, and a rules-based international order.

Ceremony and Deployment Highlights

INS Sahyadri, a Shivalik-class stealth frigate, commanded by Captain Rajat Kumar, was formally received in Yokosuka by R Madhu Sudan, India’s Charge d’Affaires in Tokyo, and Rear Admiral Yamaguchi Nobohisa, Chief of Staff of Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF), Yokosuka District.

The Japan Self Defence Fleet stated that the exercise involved,

• INS Sahyadri from the Indian Navy
• Japanese assets including JS Asahi (destroyer), JS Oumi (supply ship), and a submarine
• Support from 2nd Artillery Brigade (JGSDF) and Western Aircraft Control and Warning Wing (JASDF)
• The joint operations took place west of Kyushu, focusing on multi-domain coordination and tactical interoperability at the joint operational level.

Strategic Significance of JAIMEX 25

1. Deepening Indo-Pacific Partnership

India and Japan have long identified the Indo-Pacific as a region of strategic importance. With rising geopolitical tensions and challenges to maritime freedom, bilateral exercises like JAIMEX 25 enhance shared security objectives and promote a Free, Open, and Inclusive Indo-Pacific (FOIP).

2. Special Strategic and Global Partnership

The India-Japan relationship is built on the foundation of a Special Strategic and Global Partnership, formalized in 2014. Defence cooperation forms a core pillar, including annual naval exercises, military dialogues, and technology exchanges.

3. Enhanced Naval Interoperability

JAIMEX 25 showcases,

• Anti-submarine warfare drills
• Maritime domain awareness sharing
• Replenishment-at-sea operations
• Joint air and surface combat exercises

Such activities improve coordination between the Indian Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), boosting mutual trust and readiness.

Wider Diplomatic Context

• The exercise follows the election of Japan’s first female Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, and reflects the continuity in Japan’s foreign policy focus on the Indo-Pacific.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated her and reaffirmed that deepening India-Japan ties are vital for regional peace, stability, and prosperity.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) also emphasized the growing strategic convergence between the two nations on maritime security, infrastructure cooperation, and supply chain resilience.