India and Indonesia Commence 5th Edition of Bilateral Naval Exercise ‘Samudra Shakti 2025’ in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.

In October 2025, the Indian Navy (IN) and the Indonesian Navy (TNI AL) began the 5th edition of their bilateral maritime exercise ‘Samudra Shakti 2025’ in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. The exercise, conducted from October 14–17, 2025, aims to strengthen interoperability, mutual trust, and maritime security cooperation between the two Indo-Pacific nations.

      - ‘Samudra Shakti 2025’ is a bilateral naval exercise designed to enhance maritime partnership and operational coordination between India and Indonesia.

      - The 2025 edition is being conducted in two distinct phases — Harbour Phase and Sea Phase. The Harbour Phase (October 14–15) includes professional exchanges, cross-deck visits, and Subject Matter Expert Exchanges (SMEE), while the Sea Phase (October 16–17) features advanced naval warfare drills including air defence, anti-submarine warfare, and helicopter operations.

      - The Indian Navy is represented by INS Kavaratti, an Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Corvette of the Eastern Fleet under the Eastern Naval Command (ENC). Indonesia’s participation includes KRI John Lie, a Corvette equipped with an integral helicopter, reflecting both nations’ growing blue-water capabilities and maritime surveillance strength.

Main Point :-   (i) The exercise is a vital component of India’s maritime diplomacy under the Act East Policy (AEP), focusing on regional peace, stability, and cooperative maritime security. It underscores the strategic partnership between New Delhi and Jakarta in countering non-traditional threats such as piracy, illegal fishing, and maritime terrorism in the Indo-Pacific region.

      (ii) The Samudra Shakti series was initiated in 2018, with its first edition held in Surabaya, Indonesia. The 4th edition, conducted from May 17–19, 2023, took place in the South China Sea. Over the years, it has evolved from basic maritime coordination to complex tactical manoeuvres, reflecting the deepening defence cooperation between both navies.

(iii) ‘Samudra Shakti 2025’ aims to enhance operational synergy, standardize joint maritime procedures, and share best practices for humanitarian assistance, disaster relief (HADR), and maritime domain awareness (MDA).
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