KOCHI: Indian Naval Ship (INS) Sahyadri arrived at the port city of Vladivostok, Russia, on October 10, 2026, to participate in Exercise INDRA 2026, a major bilateral maritime exercise between the Indian Navy and the Russian Federation Navy (RuFN) scheduled from October 13 to 18, 2026. The deployment reinforces the long-standing strategic defense alliance between India and Russia while providing a tactical platform to bolster maritime cooperation, interoperability, and professional exchanges in the Pacific theater.
In line with the Government of India’s strategic vision of MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions), the exercise builds upon the momentum established during the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit held in December 2025. Exercise INDRA 2026 will feature a structured Harbour Phase—comprising cross-deck visits, operational planning conferences, and professional exchanges—followed by a comprehensive Sea Phase involving complex maritime evolutions, coordinated tactical maneuvers, and joint firing drills. The deployment will also include cultural exchanges and sports interactions to deepen camaraderie and people-to-people ties between the two navies.
