India's INS Sahyadri, Kulish join 2nd ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise in Philippines
Synopsis
India's INS Sahyadri and INS Kulish are at Subic Bay for AIME 2026 — the second ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise — alongside warships from ASEAN states. With drills spanning HADR, boarding operations, and helicopter cross-deck landings, and the exercise co-hosted during the ASEAN–India Year of Maritime Cooperation 2026, this is a concrete step in India's Indo-Pacific naval diplomacy.
Key Takeaways
INS Sahyadri and INS Kulish are participating in the 2nd ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise (AIME 2026) at Subic Bay, Philippines , on 29 September 2026 .
The exercise is co-hosted by the Indian Navy and the Philippine Navy , with vessels from multiple ASEAN member states present.
Drills include boarding operations, helicopter cross-deck landings, and medical evacuation off the coast of Zambales province .
India's Ambassador Harsh Kumar Jain attended the opening ceremony as Guest of Honour and visited both Indian warships.
The exercise builds on the inaugural AIME held in Singapore in 2023 and is being held during the ASEAN–India Year of Maritime Cooperation 2026 .
Both ships had also recently participated in the ADMM-Plus Maritime Security exercise at Subic Bay.
Indian Naval Ships INS Sahyadri and INS Kulish are participating in the second ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise (AIME 2026) in the Philippines on 29 September 2026, alongside ASEAN member-state vessels BRP Jose Rizal, BRP Tarlac, and RSS Justice. The exercise, co-hosted by the Indian Navy and the Philippine Navy, is being held at Subic Bay and marks a deepening of maritime ties between India and Southeast Asian nations.
What the Exercise Covers
AIME 2026 brings together navies from ASEAN member states and India to strengthen mutual understanding, cooperation, and interoperability at sea. The exercise features subject matter expert exchanges on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR), maritime domain awareness, logistics, and women, peace and security. These sessions will be followed by sea drills off the coast of Zambales province, encompassing boarding operations, helicopter cross-deck landings, and medical evacuation exercises.
India's Ambassador Attends Opening Ceremony
Harsh Kumar Jain, India's Ambassador to the Philippines, attended the opening ceremony at Subic Bay as the Guest of Honour. In his address, Jain noted that the seas have long connected India and Southeast Asia, adding that 'maritime security and prosperity are a shared responsibility, in line with India's vision of MAHASAGAR.' He reaffirmed India's steadfast support for ASEAN centrality and the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific, according to a post by the Indian Embassy in the Philippines on X.
Highlighting the exercise's theme — 'Anchored in Trust, United at Sea' — Jain observed that trust forged through training together becomes a vital operational capability in times of crisis. He also congratulated all participants and thanked the Philippines for co-hosting the exercise as ASEAN Chair during the ASEAN–India Year of Maritime Cooperation 2026.
India's Naval Presence at Subic Bay
Ambassador Jain also visited INS Sahyadri, described as an indigenous stealth frigate, and INS Kulish, a missile corvette, at Subic Bay. Both vessels had recently participated in the ADMM-Plus Maritime Security exercise at the same location before transitioning to AIME 2026. The ambassador interacted with officers and sailors, appreciating their dedication during long overseas deployments. The Commanding Officers briefed him on the ships' capabilities, technological readiness, and crew welfare, according to the Indian Embassy.
Building on the First Exercise
AIME 2026 builds on the inaugural ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise, held in Singapore in 2023. The second edition's expanded participation and broader thematic agenda reflect the growing strategic alignment between India and ASEAN on Indo-Pacific maritime security. This comes amid heightened attention to freedom of navigation and rules-based order in the South China Sea, where several ASEAN states have active territorial interests.
With the exercise now underway, all eyes will be on whether AIME evolves into an annual standing framework — a step that would institutionalise India's naval engagement with Southeast Asia at a new level.
Point of View
With Manila as ASEAN Chair, is diplomatically deliberate. What mainstream coverage underplays is the MAHASAGAR doctrine framing: India is increasingly positioning maritime security as a shared regional public good rather than a bilateral ask, which is a sharper pitch to ASEAN fence-sitters wary of great-power competition. The real measure of success will be whether AIME gains a permanent annual mandate — without that institutionalisation, these exercises risk remaining symbolic rather than operationally transformative.
NationPress
29 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise (AIME) 2026?
AIME 2026 is the second edition of the ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise, co-hosted by the Indian Navy and the Philippine Navy at Subic Bay in the Philippines. It brings together navies of ASEAN member states and India for drills covering HADR, maritime domain awareness, boarding operations, and helicopter cross-deck landings.
Which Indian ships are participating in AIME 2026?
Indian Naval Ships INS Sahyadri, an indigenous stealth frigate, and INS Kulish, a missile corvette, are representing India at AIME 2026. Both ships had also recently taken part in the ADMM-Plus Maritime Security exercise at the same Subic Bay location.
Where and when is AIME 2026 being held?
The exercise is taking place at Subic Bay in the Philippines, with sea drills off the coast of Zambales province, on 29 September 2026. It is being held during the ASEAN–India Year of Maritime Cooperation 2026, while the Philippines holds the ASEAN Chair.
What was the first ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise and when was it held?
The inaugural ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise was held in Singapore in 2023. AIME 2026 is its second edition, featuring an expanded thematic agenda including HADR, logistics, and women, peace and security exchanges.
What is India's MAHASAGAR vision referenced at the exercise?
MAHASAGAR is India's framework for maritime security and cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, emphasising that maritime security and prosperity are a shared regional responsibility. Ambassador Jain invoked it at the AIME 2026 opening ceremony to underline India's commitment to ASEAN centrality and the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific.
