Indian, South Korean Navies Hold Joint Drills off Busan
INS Sahyadri and ROKS Munmu The Great conducted cross-deck helicopter landings and search and rescue operations during bilateral sea-phase exercises.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Military
The Indian Navy's INS Sahyadri and the South Korean Navy's ROKS Munmu The Great conducted joint naval drills off Busan as part of the India-Republic of Korea Navy bilateral exercise. INS Sahyadri later set sail for her subsequent mission.
Why it matters
The exercise is aimed at strengthening maritime cooperation and enhancing interoperability between the two navies in the Indo-Pacific. Joint drills of this kind build working familiarity between the forces should they need to operate together.
The record is an official bilateral exercise schedule and vessel deployment log, with the harbour phase running October 26 to 29 in Busan. The extraction does not report the number of drill iterations, personnel involved, or results of the search and rescue exercises.
The players
INS Sahyadri
A indigenously designed and built guided missile stealth frigate of the Indian Navy that took part in the joint drills and later set sail for its next mission.
ROKS Munmu The Great
A guided-missile destroyer of the South Korean Navy that conducted the joint naval drills with INS Sahyadri off Busan.
Gourangalal Das
India's Ambassador to South Korea, who attended an onboard reception aboard INS Sahyadri during the harbour phase of the exercise.
The details
The sea phase included multiple drills, cross-deck helicopter landings and search and rescue operations, following a harbour phase with professional exchanges, cross-deck visits, sports fixtures and an onboard reception. Indian Ambassador to South Korea Gourangalal Das attended the reception aboard INS Sahyadri.
Timeline
- October 26 to 29: Harbour phase held in Busan.
- October 26: INS Sahyadri arrived at Busan Naval Harbour.
- Last week: INS Sahyadri sailed out for the sea phase of the exercise.
- Early November: Indian Embassy in Seoul posted about the sea-phase drills on X.
Big Picture
The Busan drills extend the India-Republic of Korea Navy bilateral exercise series into its sea phase, following a harbour phase that opened with professional exchanges and cross-deck visits. The exercise aims to deepen maritime cooperation between the two navies across the Indo-Pacific.
The exercise gives naval personnel on both sides practical experience in cross-deck helicopter operations and search and rescue. For observers, it signals the scope of bilateral naval activity planned in the Indo-Pacific region.
The takeaway
Bilateral naval exercises like this one build the practical coordination that navies rely on when operating together. Watching how these drill programs develop offers a clear view of partner cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.
Further reading
Explore more coverage in the Military section for context on naval cooperation and defense exercises.
