Exercise Samudra Laksamana 4/26

Why in News?

Indian Naval Ship INS Mysore reached Lumut Naval Base in Malaysia on 9 September 2026 to participate in Exercise Samudra Laksamana 4/26. The bilateral naval exercise involves the Indian Navy and Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN). It forms part of India’s maritime engagement with Malaysia and broader cooperation in the Indian Ocean region.

Exercise Samudra Laksamana

Exercise Samudra Laksamana is a bilateral maritime exercise between India and Malaysia. The 4/26 edition is the fourth iteration of the exercise. It aims to strengthen operational understanding and interoperability between the two navies. The exercise includes:

• Professional interactions between naval personnel.
• Tactical briefings.
• Cross-ship visits.
• Exchange of operational experiences.
• Strengthening maritime cooperation.

Such exercises provide opportunities for both navies to understand procedures and improve coordination during maritime operations.

INS Mysore

INS Mysore is a Delhi-class guided-missile destroyer of the Indian Navy. It was commissioned into the Indian Navy as a multi-role surface combatant. Delhi-class destroyers are designed to undertake diverse naval warfare missions.

Major Roles

The Delhi-class destroyers can perform:

• Anti-air warfare
• Anti-surface warfare
• Anti-submarine warfare
• Maritime surveillance and fleet protection
• Long-range surface operations

The deployment of INS Mysore demonstrates India’s commitment to strengthening maritime partnerships with countries in the wider Indo-Pacific region.

Royal Malaysian Navy Participation

The Royal Malaysian Navy hosted INS Mysore at Lumut Naval Base, one of Malaysia’s important naval facilities. The Malaysian reception delegation was led by Captain Mohd Husni bin Aris RMN, Director of Planning and Contingency at Western Fleet Command Headquarters.

The Malaysian ships scheduled to participate include:

• KD Lekir
• KD Gagah Samudera

Their participation provides an opportunity for both navies to conduct professional exchanges and maritime training activities.

India-Malaysia Maritime Cooperation

India and Malaysia share important maritime interests in the Indian Ocean and wider Indo-Pacific region. Naval cooperation contributes to maritime domain awareness, professional exchanges and greater interoperability. Bilateral naval exercises also support India’s broader Act East Policy and engagement with Southeast Asian countries. Malaysia is an important maritime partner because of its location near major sea lanes connecting the Indian Ocean with the Pacific.

Significance of Exercise Samudra Laksamana

Exercise Samudra Laksamana strengthens India-Malaysia defence relations and promotes cooperation between their naval forces. Regular naval exercises help participating forces develop common operating procedures and improve coordination. The exercise also contributes to India’s broader objective of maintaining a free, open and secure maritime environment in the Indo-Pacific.

Exercise Samudra Laksamana: Important Facts for Competitive Exams