The Indian Navy is flying the flag on two continents at once this week. The guided-missile stealth frigate INS Trishul has arrived at Plymouth in the United Kingdom for Exercise Konkan-26 with the Royal Navy, while the stealth frigate INS Sahyadri docked at Vladivostok in Russia's Far East on 10 October for Exercise INDRA 2026 with the Russian Federation Navy. The Ministry of Defence shared details of both deployments on Sunday, 11 October.
INS Trishul at Plymouth: Exercise Konkan-26
Konkan is the annual bilateral maritime exercise between India and the UK, and this year's edition is being held off Plymouth on England's south-west coast from 8 to 15 October 2026. Over the last two decades, the Navy says, it has grown considerably in scale and complexity.
The exercise is split into two phases:
- Harbour phase: professional discussions, cross-deck visits, sports fixtures, cultural events, and the ship being opened to visitors.
- Sea phase: complex drills across air, surface and sub-surface domains – including helicopter cross-deck landings, firing serials, air defence exercises, seamanship evolutions and anti-submarine warfare drills.
The Defence Ministry linked the exercise to the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership laid out in the India-UK Vision 2035 and to a shared commitment to secure, open and free seas.
INS Sahyadri at Vladivostok: Exercise INDRA 2026
Far to the east, INS Sahyadri – an indigenous Shivalik-class stealth frigate – reached Vladivostok, home of Russia's Pacific Fleet, on 10 October. Exercise INDRA 2026 between the Indian Navy and the Russian Federation Navy is scheduled from 13 to 18 October.
Like Konkan, INDRA will begin with a harbour phase followed by coordinated operations at sea. The ministry says the drills are aimed at improving mutual understanding, operational coordination and interoperability, with social and cultural interactions to build camaraderie between sailors of both navies.
The deployment is in line with India's MAHASAGAR vision (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) and carries forward the momentum of the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit held on 4–5 December 2025, according to the Navy.
Two exercises at a glance
| Detail | Konkan-26 |
|---|---|
| Partner navy | Royal Navy (United Kingdom) |
| Indian ship | INS Trishul, guided-missile stealth frigate |
| Location | Off Plymouth, UK |
| Dates | 8–15 October 2026 |
| Framework | India-UK Vision 2035 |
| Detail | INDRA 2026 |
|---|---|
| Partner navy | Russian Federation Navy |
| Indian ship | INS Sahyadri, stealth frigate |
| Location | Vladivostok, Russia |
| Dates | 13–18 October 2026 |
| Framework | MAHASAGAR vision, India-Russia partnership |
Why it matters for India
Running exercises with both the UK and Russia in the same week is a neat snapshot of India's foreign policy: close defence ties with Western partners, while keeping a long-standing relationship with Moscow. For the Navy, each exercise is a chance to practise with a different set of ships, aircraft and procedures, which sharpens its own crews.
Anti-submarine warfare, a highlight of the Konkan sea phase, is a growing priority as more submarines operate in the Indian Ocean. Air defence and firing drills, meanwhile, test how well ships can protect themselves and each other – skills that matter at a time when commercial shipping in the wider region faces drone and missile threats.
The deployments also show the reach of India's home-built warships. INS Sahyadri was designed and built in India, and it is now operating thousands of kilometres from home in the Pacific.
A quick look at the two frigates
INS Trishul is a Talwar-class guided-missile stealth frigate, one of a family of warships built for India in Russia and known for their strong anti-air and anti-ship punch. INS Sahyadri belongs to the Shivalik class, the first stealth frigates designed and built in India, at Mazagon Dock in Mumbai. It is a small twist of this week that the Russian-built ship is training with the British, while the Indian-built ship is training with the Russians – a reminder of how varied the Navy's partnerships have become.
For families of sailors and for young Indians thinking about a naval career, deployments like these are also a reminder of what the job involves: months at sea, long passages across oceans and the chance to work alongside some of the world's most experienced navies.
What happens next
Konkan-26 wraps up on 15 October after the sea phase off Plymouth. INDRA 2026 moves from harbour to sea after its opening on 13 October and ends on 18 October. Both ships are expected to continue their deployments afterwards, and the Navy usually shares photos and updates from the sea phases on its official channels.
Comments (0)