Indian Navy warships INS Sahyadri and INS Kulish have arrived at Subic Bay as India steps up its participation in a multilateral maritime engagement with ASEAN and partner nations.
Indian Navy ships INS Sahyadri and INS Kulish reached Subic Bay in the Philippines on September 20, 2026, marking another overseas deployment by the Indian Navy in support of India’s expanding maritime engagement across the Indo-Pacific. The two warships are in the Philippines to participate in the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus Joint Cooperation Activity (ADMM-Plus JCA), which involves maritime forces from ASEAN member states and the participating Plus countries.
The Joint Cooperation Activity is designed to promote practical interaction between the participating maritime forces. During the engagement, personnel from different navies get an opportunity to interact professionally, exchange experience and improve coordination while operating within a multinational framework. Such engagements are intended to build familiarity between participating forces and support greater interoperability during maritime operations.
For India, the deployment is part of its continuing naval outreach towards Southeast Asia and the wider Indo-Pacific. The Indian Navy regularly undertakes overseas deployments to strengthen defence relationships and maintain operational engagement with friendly and partner countries. The current deployment also reflects India’s Act East Policy, under which New Delhi has sought deeper strategic and defence engagement with countries in the Indo-Pacific.
The deployment is also connected with India’s MAHASAGAR vision, which stands for Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions. The approach places emphasis on cooperation and partnerships across the maritime region. Participation in multilateral naval activities provides India with an avenue to engage with several regional maritime forces through a common operational platform.
The arrival at Subic Bay is also significant for India-Philippines defence relations, which have developed through increasing military exchanges and maritime cooperation. The two countries have maintained regular engagement between their armed forces, including interactions between their navies. The establishment of the India-Philippines Strategic Partnership in August 2025 provided an additional framework for strengthening bilateral relations.
The ADMM-Plus mechanism brings together defence establishments from ASEAN and its eight Plus partners. It serves as a forum for practical defence cooperation and professional engagement on issues relevant to regional security. Maritime activities conducted under the framework allow participating naval forces to develop closer working relationships and exchange knowledge and operational experience.
The two Indian warships bring complementary capabilities to the deployment. INS Sahyadri, a Shivalik-class stealth guided-missile frigate, is one of the Indian Navy’s major surface combatants. INS Kulish, a Kora-class guided-missile corvette, is designed for a range of maritime missions. Both ships have previously participated in overseas deployments and naval engagements with international partner forces.
Their presence in the Philippines highlights the Indian Navy’s continued focus on maintaining regular operational contact with maritime forces across the Indo-Pacific. Multilateral activities such as the ADMM-Plus Joint Cooperation Activity provide participating navies with opportunities to improve communication, strengthen professional relationships and enhance their ability to coordinate with one another.
With INS Sahyadri and INS Kulish now at Subic Bay, India is continuing its participation in regional maritime cooperation while reinforcing its naval engagement with the Philippines, ASEAN members and other partner countries. The deployment forms part of the Indian Navy’s broader pattern of overseas operational engagement aimed at maintaining maritime partnerships across the Indo-Pacific.
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