Indian Naval Ship (INS) Sahyadri has departed Vladivostok following the successful conclusion of bilateral naval exercise Indra 2026 with the Russian Federation Navy, the Ministry of Defence said on Friday, IANS reported. The ship left the Russian port city on Tuesday after the exercise, which was conducted in two phases — harbour and sea.
Source: IANS — INS Sahyadri departs Vladivostok as India-Russia naval exercise concludes (Oct 23, 2026)
The harbour phase featured key leaders' interactions, cross-deck visits, Subject Matter Expert Exchanges, operational synchronisation activities, sports fixtures and cultural exchanges, the ministry said in a statement carried by IANS and Nation Press. The harbour phase had commenced with a planning conference between the operational teams of INS Sahyadri and Russian Navy ship Aldar Tsydenzhapov, with participation from senior naval personnel of the Russian Pacific Fleet.
Sea phase drills
The sea phase involved coordinated manoeuvring, integrated communications, helicopter operations and medical evacuation drills, enabling the participating units to practise coordinated procedures at sea and strengthen interoperability, the ministry said. India Defence Wire's account of the conclusion likewise described coordinated manoeuvring, integrated communications, helicopter operations and casualty evacuation drills at sea, and noted a football fixture between Sahyadri sailors and a Russian side at Vladivostok's Dynamo stadium during the harbour phase.
Source: India Defence Wire — Exercise INDRA 2026 concludes as Sahyadri sails (Oct 23, 2026)
The successful conclusion of Exercise Indra 2026 reaffirmed the enduring defence and maritime partnership between India and Russia, the ministry said, adding that it reflected the shared commitment of the two navies to a secure, stable and peaceful maritime environment.
What is solid
- The Ministry of Defence announced on Friday, October 23 that INS Sahyadri departed Vladivostok on Tuesday after Indra 2026 concluded — reported by IANS and Nation Press
- The exercise ran in harbour and sea phases, with the sea phase covering coordinated manoeuvring, integrated communications, helicopter operations and medical evacuation drills — MoD statement via IANS, corroborated by India Defence Wire
What is only claimed
- Reports differ on the exact departure date wording — IANS and Nation Press say the ship left on Tuesday, while one summary account gives October 20; the MoD announcement itself was made on Friday, October 23