Quick answer: The India–Republic of Korea Navy (IN-RoKN) Bilateral Exercise is a naval drill between the Indian Navy and the South Korean Navy. It is in the news because the Shivalik-class frigate INS Sahyadri reached Busan Naval Harbour on 26 October 2026 for the exercise, with a harbour phase to be followed by drills at sea alongside ROKS Munmu the Great.
Why the India–South Korea naval exercise is in the news
The Ministry of Defence announced on 28 October 2026 that INS Sahyadri, an indigenously designed and built guided-missile stealth frigate, had arrived at Busan Naval Harbour on 26 October to take part in the IN-RoKN Bilateral Exercise. The Republic of Korea Navy (RoKN) received the ship at Busan.
According to the ministry, the harbour phase covers professional talks, cross-deck visits, joint training and sports. It is followed by coordinated activities at sea between INS Sahyadri and ROKS Munmu the Great to build interoperability.
Sahyadri also took part in the first edition, in October 2025. It called at Busan on 13 October that year and sailed with ROKS Gyeongnam.
Key facts about INS Sahyadri and the exercise
- Exercise name: India–Republic of Korea Navy (IN-RoKN) Bilateral Exercise. The first edition was in October 2025.
- Venue (2026): Busan Naval Harbour, South Korea. Sahyadri arrived on 26 October 2026.
- Korean ship at sea: ROKS Munmu the Great.
- INS Sahyadri (F49): the third and last ship of the Shivalik class (Project 17), commissioned on 21 July 2012.
- Builder: Mazagon Dock Limited, Mumbai.
- Base: Visakhapatnam, with the Eastern Fleet of the Eastern Naval Command.
Shivalik class (Project 17) at a glance
Project 17 gave India its first home-built stealth frigates. These were the first Indian Navy warships to run on a CODOG (combined diesel or gas) plant, and its design is the basis for the seven Nilgiri-class (Project 17A) frigates.
| Ship | Pennant | Commissioned | Named after |
|---|---|---|---|
| INS Shivalik | F47 | 29 April 2010 | Shivalik Hills |
| INS Satpura | F48 | 20 August 2011 | Satpura Range |
| INS Sahyadri | F49 | 21 July 2012 | Sahyadri (Western Ghats) |
Each ship displaces about 6,200 tonnes at full load, reaches 32 knots and carries eight BrahMos missiles in vertical launchers.
India’s main bilateral naval exercises
| Exercise | Partner navy | Note for exams |
|---|---|---|
| IN-RoKN Bilateral Exercise | South Korea | First edition in October 2025, held at Busan |
| JIMEX / JAIMEX | Japan | Began in 2012; Sahyadri took part in JAIMEX-25 |
| SIMBEX | Singapore | Began in 1994 as Exercise Lion King |
| AUSINDEX | Australia | Sahyadri sailed with HMAS Ballarat in 2025 |
| Varuna | France | Has carried the name Varuna since 2001 |
| Konkan | United Kingdom | Held with the Royal Navy |
| INDRA (Navy) | Russia | Held in the Bay of Bengal in 2015, with Sahyadri taking part |
| SLINEX | Sri Lanka | Annual exercise between the two navies |
Note: Malabar (with the US, Japan and Australia) is multilateral, not bilateral.
India–South Korea defence ties
- In May 2015, India and South Korea raised their relationship to a Special Strategic Partnership.
- The K9 Vajra self-propelled howitzer is the best-known joint defence product. It is built in India by L&T in partnership with South Korea’s Hanwha Aerospace, and a contract for 100 more guns was signed in April 2025.
- President Lee Jae Myung visited New Delhi on 20 April 2026. During the visit the two governments adopted a Joint Strategic Vision and a framework for cooperation in shipbuilding.
- On 28 October 2026, at the 13th ADMM-Plus in Cebu, Rajnath Singh and ROK Defence Minister Kang Shin-chul discussed co-developing military technologies.
Exam angle: how NDA, CDS and CAPF can ask this
- “Match the exercise with the partner country” questions are common in NDA and CDS GK, so learn the table above.
- Expect warship-class questions on which shipyard built a class, its project number and its successor class (Project 17 is followed by 17A).
- Geography links: Busan is South Korea’s main southern port, and the Sahyadri, Satpura and Shivalik ranges give the class its names.
Practice MCQs
Q1. INS Sahyadri, which took part in the 2026 India–South Korea naval exercise, belongs to which class?
(a) Talwar class (b) Shivalik class (c) Kolkata class (d) Nilgiri class
Answer: (b). It is the third ship of the Shivalik (Project 17) class.
Q2. At which port did INS Sahyadri arrive for the IN-RoKN Bilateral Exercise in October 2026?
(a) Incheon (b) Jinhae (c) Busan (d) Pohang
Answer: (c). It reached Busan Naval Harbour on 26 October 2026.
Q3. Exercise SIMBEX is conducted between the Indian Navy and the navy of:
(a) Sri Lanka (b) Singapore (c) South Korea (d) Saudi Arabia
Answer: (b). SIMBEX is held with the Republic of Singapore Navy.
Q4. Which shipyard built all three Shivalik-class frigates?
(a) Garden Reach Shipbuilders (b) Cochin Shipyard (c) Goa Shipyard (d) Mazagon Dock Limited
Answer: (d). All three were built at Mazagon Dock, Mumbai.
Frequently asked questions
What is the IN-RoKN Bilateral Exercise?
It is a naval exercise between the Indian Navy and the Republic of Korea Navy. The first edition was held in October 2025, and INS Sahyadri returned to Busan for it in October 2026.
Which South Korean ship joined INS Sahyadri in 2026?
According to the Ministry of Defence, ROKS Munmu the Great was to carry out the at-sea activities with INS Sahyadri after the harbour phase.
When was INS Sahyadri commissioned?
INS Sahyadri (F49) was commissioned on 21 July 2012. It is the third Shivalik-class frigate and is based at Visakhapatnam with the Eastern Fleet.
Since when have India and South Korea been Special Strategic Partners?
The relationship was raised to a Special Strategic Partnership in May 2015, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to South Korea.
Also read on NCA: INS Sahyadri in JAIMEX-25 | ADMM-Plus explained | Monthly defence current affairs PDFs | CDS coaching in Chandigarh
Sources: PIB, Ministry of Defence (28 Oct 2026), Office of the Raksha Mantri, The Tribune (ANI), MP-IDSA, Shivalik class reference. Facts as reported up to 1 November 2026.
Featured image background: U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class R / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.
