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New Delhi, Oct 22 (PTI) India’s indigenously built guided missile stealth frigate INS Sahyadri has participated in a joint maritime exercise with Japan, underscoring the “strong and burgeoning” navy-to-navy interactions with that country, officials said on Wednesday. The multi-role stealth frigate participated in the sea phase of ‘JAIMEX 25’ — Japan India Maritime Exercise — from October 16-18, and made a port call at Yokosuka, Japan, on Tuesday for the harbour phase. As part of the Indian Navy’s ongoing deployment in the Indo-Pacific, the Shivalik-class guided missile stealth frigate of its Eastern Fleet participated in the bilateral exercise. “The sea phase of #JAIMEX 25 from 16 to 18 Oct with participation of @JMSDF_PAO ships Asahi, Oumi and Submarine Jinryu included multiple drills and exercises pertaining to Anti-Submarine Warfare, missile defence, flying operations and underway replenishment. India-Japan#BridgesofFriendship #EasternSword #SunriseFleet @jmsdf_pao_eng @IndianEmbTokyo,” the India Navy posted on X. In its post, the Navy also shared some photos and a video clip of the drills. “The strategic partnership between India and Japan has been very robust for a long time with significant focus on defence and maritime cooperation. The lndian Navy and JMSDF have been at the forefront of this growing partnership with a shared vision of a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region,” it said. Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) is the maritime warfare branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces. The sea phase included advanced anti-submarine warfare and missile defence drills, enhancing interoperability by undertaking flying operations and underway replenishment, the officials said. “The ‘JAIMEX 25’ underscores the strong and burgeoning navy-to-navy interactions that underpin the Special Strategic and Global Partnership established between India and Japan in 2014. This partnership is a crucial pillar for ensuring peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific maritime domain,” an official said. During its harbour phase at Yokosuka, the crews of INS Sahyadri and the participating JMSDF units will engage in a multitude of professional and cultural exchanges, the officials said. The activities will include cross-deck visits, collaborative operational planning, sharing of best practices, and a combined yoga session to foster camaraderie and unity. The port call also serves as a key engagement during the ship’s ongoing long range deployment to the Indo-Pacific region, they said. Commissioned in 2012, INS Sahyadri is a testament to India’s growing pursuit of indigenous defence technology and the nation’s vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’. The multi-role stealth frigate has participated in various operational deployments, bilateral and multilateral exercises. PTI KND KVK KVK
