INS Shayadri reaches Busan, to take part in maiden India-South Korea navy exercise

New Delhi, Oct 14 (PTI) Indian Naval Ship Sahyadri has made a port call at Busan Naval Harbour in South Korea and will participate in the maiden bilateral exercise between the navies of the two countries, officials said on Tuesday.

The ship's ongoing operational deployment to the South China Sea and Indo-Pacific underscores India's stature as a responsible maritime stakeholder and preferred security partner, the defence ministry said.

The Republic of Korea Navy extended a warm welcome to INS Sahyadri on its arrival on Monday, underscoring the burgeoning navy-to-navy interactions and strategic partnership between the governments of India and the Republic of Korea, it said.

INS Sahyadri will participate in the maiden Indian Navy-Republic of Korea Navy bilateral exercise -- IN-RoKN, the ministry said in a statement.

Indigenously designed, constructed, and commissioned in 2012, INS Sahyadri is the third ship of the Shivalik-class guided missile stealth frigates.

The ship is a shining example of India's 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' vision and has been part of several bilateral and multilateral exercises, as well as operational deployments. The ship is based at Visakhapatnam as part of the Eastern Fleet under the aegis of the Eastern Naval Command, it said.

During the visit, the ship's crew will participate in the harbour and the sea phase of the inaugural edition of the IN-RoKN exercise.

As part of the harbour phase, officials of Indian and South Korean navies will engage in reciprocal cross-deck visits, sharing of best practices, cross-training sessions, and sport fixtures.

The commanding officer will call on senior officials of the South Korean navy and local dignitaries. The harbour phase will be followed by sea phase, wherein, INS Sahyadri and ROKS Gyeongnam will undertake joint exercises, it said.

With the ever-increasing significance of the Indo-Pacific in the geopolitical seascape, both nations have increasingly recognised the importance of building partnerships, based on mutual interests.

The navy-to-navy interactions between India and South Korea have grown significantly in recent years, along with their strategic partnership. The ongoing inaugural IN-RoKN bilateral exercise is the culmination of years of discussions and planning between the two navies, it said. PTI KND SKY SKY