INS Sahyadri and Kulish conclude AIME 2026 in the Philippines
INS Sahyadri and INS Kulish have concluded their participation in the ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise (AIME 2026), held in the Philippines under the theme 'Anchored in Trust, United at Sea'. After a Harbour Phase of planning and professional exchanges, the two ships joined Sea Phase drills in disaster relief, boarding operations, underway replenishment and helicopter casualty evacuation.
Syllabus: Prelims · Current Affairs & IR; GS2 · Groupings & Agreements; GS3 · Security Forces & Agencies
Why it matters
Naval exercises give participating crews opportunities to practise communication and coordinated procedures before an emergency. This exercise connects India's engagement with ASEAN to practical tasks such as disaster relief, boarding and supply transfer. For UPSC, the relevant concepts are maritime diplomacy, interoperability and the difference between a shore-based planning phase and operational drills at sea. The Defence Ministry links the participation to Act East and MAHASAGAR. Exercise participation itself should not be read as creating an alliance or resolving maritime boundary disputes.
Prelims pointers
- AIME expands to ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise; the 2026 edition was conducted in the Philippines.
- MAHASAGAR: Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions.
- VBSS: Visit-Board-Search-Seizure, a drill for boarding and inspecting a suspect vessel.
- CASEVAC (casualty evacuation) was practised as a helicopter exercise during AIME 2026.
Practise a UPSC-style question
Consider the following statements about the sequence of AIME 2026:
1. The Opening Ceremony was followed by the Harbour Phase.
2. The Sea Phase was held before the Harbour Phase.
3. Operational Synchronisation and a Pre-Sail Brief helped prepare the ships for the Sea Phase.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- (a) 1 only
- (b) 1 and 3 only
- (c) 2 and 3 only
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
Show the answer
Answer: (b) 1 and 3 only
The Opening Ceremony led into the Harbour Phase, where a Table-Top Exercise, Operational Synchronisation and a Pre-Sail Brief prepared the ships for the Sea Phase. The Sea Phase came after the Harbour Phase, so statement 2 is wrong.
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