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The United States, Japan, Australia, and India have launched the 2026 edition of Exercise Malabar, bringing together warships, submarines, and maritime patrol aircraft for a week of joint naval operations in waters south of Japan’s Kanto region.

The exercise began on November 5, 2026, and will continue through November 12, 2026, with participating forces conducting anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare drills aimed at improving their ability to operate together across the Indo-Pacific.

The annual exercise comes as the four countries seek to strengthen their maritime security cooperation amid China’s expanding naval presence and increasingly assertive activities in the region.

This year’s edition is particularly focused on combined maritime operations, with naval forces expected to coordinate their activities across surface and underwater environments. The deployment of maritime patrol aircraft alongside warships and a submarine also adds an important air component to the exercise.

The opening ceremony took place aboard the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s (JMSDF) helicopter destroyer JS Ise at Yokosuka naval base near Tokyo. Approximately 200 commanders and military personnel from the four participating countries attended the ceremony.

Japan’s Self-Defense Fleet Commander, Vice Admiral Katsushi Omachi, highlighted the increasingly complex security environment in the Indo-Pacific and stressed the importance of closer coordination among countries with shared security interests.

▶️ Indian Navy’s indigenous Guided Missile Stealth Frigate, #INSSahyadri, of the Eastern Fleet, arrived at Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan to participate in the multilateral naval exercise MALABAR 2026 ▶️ #MALABAR2026 brings together the navies of India, Japan, the United States and Australia, providing an opportunity for participating maritime forces to enhance operational coordination, strengthen interoperability and exchange professional expertise through a series of engagements in harbour and at sea Read here for more details: https://t.co/UWIZxhXEgE @indiannavy @SpokespersonMoD

— PIB India (@PIB_India) November 5, 2026

Omachi said that the Quad cooperation was becoming more important as regional maritime challenges continued to evolve. “Our ability to communicate, coordinate, and operate together is essential for addressing common challenges,” he added.

Vice Admiral Patrick Hannifin, Commander of the U.S. Seventh Fleet, also emphasized that security challenges in the Indo-Pacific could affect all four countries, making interoperability and mutual trust essential to their military cooperation.

“This is about building interoperability, about building our trust and communication with each other, so that we can operate at sea, over the sea, under the sea, with each other, wherever and whenever that requires,” Hannifin said.

Warships, Submarines and Maritime Patrol Aircraft

The 2026 exercise brings together a combination of surface combatants, underwater assets, and maritime surveillance aircraft, allowing participating forces to train across several areas of naval warfare.

Japan has deployed the helicopter destroyer JS Ise (DDH-182), the Mogami-class frigate JS Mogami (FFM-1), a submarine, and a P-1 maritime patrol aircraft. These assets will support the JMSDF’s participation in surface and underwater warfare training. The Indian Navy is represented by INS Sahyadri (F49), an indigenously built Shivalik-class guided-missile stealth frigate assigned to its Eastern Fleet.

The INS Sahyadri arrived at Yokosuka on November 4 after completing a bilateral naval exercise with the Republic of Korea Navy in Busan. Its participation continues India’s recent series of naval engagements with regional partners and provides an opportunity to operate alongside the other three Quad navies.

Australia has deployed the Anzac-class frigate HMAS Stuart (FFH153), together with a Royal Australian Air Force P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft.

The United States is contributing two San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ships, USS Anchorage (LPD-23) and USS John P. Murtha (LPD-26), along with a P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft.

The combination of frigates, a helicopter destroyer, a submarine, and maritime patrol aircraft provides the participating forces with different platforms for practicing coordinated maritime operations. In particular, the presence of P-1 and P-8A aircraft alongside surface ships and underwater assets supports training that requires cooperation between naval and air forces.

Anti-Submarine and Surface Warfare Among Main Training Areas

According to the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, the main operational activities will include anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, and a joint sailing photo exercise involving participating vessels.

Anti-submarine warfare is a central component of this year’s training. It involves detecting, tracking, and coordinating responses to underwater threats, requiring close communication between submarines, surface ships, and maritime patrol aircraft. The participation of Japan’s submarine and the P-1 and P-8A aircraft provides an opportunity to practice coordination between different platforms involved in underwater surveillance and maritime operations.

Anti-surface warfare training will focus on operations involving surface fleets and the coordination of naval units during maritime engagements. These activities allow the participating navies to practice tactical communication, maneuvering, and the exchange of operational information while operating as a combined force.

Maritime patrol aircraft play an important supporting role in these activities. The Japanese P-1 and American and Australian P-8A aircraft are designed for maritime surveillance and anti-submarine missions, allowing aircrews to work alongside naval vessels during operations over large maritime areas.

The exercise also includes a joint sailing photo exercise, in which participating vessels operate together in formation. Beyond its visual purpose, such activities provide an opportunity to demonstrate coordinated fleet movements and the ability of different navies to operate together at sea.

Harbor Phase to Prepare Forces for Operations at Sea

Exercise Malabar 2026 is structured around harbor and sea phases, combining preparations and professional exchanges at port with practical training in the maritime environment.

During the harbor phase, naval personnel will take part in professional interactions, operational discussions, and coordinated planning. These activities allow officers and crews to exchange experience, establish communication procedures, and prepare for the joint activities that follow.

The sea phase will bring INS Sahyadri and participating units from the United States, Japan, and Australia together for practical naval operations. The forces will conduct the planned tactical exercises, applying the procedures and coordination arrangements developed during the initial phase.

India’s Ministry of Defense said the exercise would provide an opportunity for the participating maritime forces to improve operational coordination, strengthen interoperability, and exchange professional expertise. It also described the engagement as part of India’s broader effort to expand maritime partnerships with regional partners.

Malabar as Major Quad Naval Exercise

Exercise Malabar was established in 1992 as a bilateral naval training initiative between the United States and India. Japan joined the exercise in 2007, while Australia subsequently became a regular participant, turning the drills into a major platform for maritime cooperation among the four countries.

Over the years, the exercise has expanded beyond its original bilateral format, providing opportunities for participating navies to train in increasingly complex maritime environments. Its activities have included surface warfare, anti-submarine operations, maritime surveillance, and coordinated fleet movements.

The 2026 edition continues this approach, with the four countries bringing together different classes of warships and maritime aircraft for operations near Japan. The exercise also reflects the growing importance of cooperation between the Quad countries’ naval forces as they seek to maintain a consistent level of coordination across the Indo-Pacific.

Quad Leaders’ Summit Expected in Manila

The naval exercise is taking place alongside broader diplomatic efforts to maintain cooperation among the four Quad members. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that the leaders of the four Quad countries will meet in Manila, the Philippines, during the ASEAN summit later this month, although a specific date has not yet been announced.

A potential leaders’ meeting would provide an opportunity to discuss regional security and other areas of cooperation beyond military activities. The four countries have also been working together on issues including critical mineral supplies, energy security, and maintaining stable economic and maritime conditions across the Indo-Pacific.

However, no confirmed date for the proposed summit has been announced. For now, Malabar 2026 provides a practical opportunity for the four countries to strengthen their naval coordination through direct cooperation at sea, with the exercise scheduled to conclude on November 12, 2026.