IBSAMAR IX concludes ten days of joint training between the navies of India, Brazil and South Africa, with the closing ceremony held on Tuesday at Simon's Town, the main base of the South African Navy. The Indian Navy was represented by the guided missile stealth frigate INS Tarkash.

The ninth edition of the India-Brazil-South Africa Maritime Exercise ran in two parts.

IBSAMAR IX concludes after harbour and sea phases

In the harbour phase, crews held professional exchanges and joint training. The sea phase took the ships out together for a series of maritime evolutions. According to the Indian Navy, the aim throughout was to improve interoperability, strengthen operational cooperation and build better understanding among the three forces. Personnel from each navy got a close look at how the others plan, communicate and operate at sea.

The Navy said these activities built familiarity and confidence among the participating navies, allowing them to work together more smoothly in the maritime domain.

Three navies brought frigates, helicopters and a submarine

South Africa, the host, fielded the largest group. The ships named for the exercise were SAS Amatola, SAS King Sekhukhune I and SAS Adam Kok III, along with the submarine SAS Manthatisi.

Brazil sent the frigate BNS Barroso of the Brazilian Navy, with an embarked Lynx helicopter. INS Tarkash sailed with an integral Chetak helicopter. The theme chosen for this edition was Stronger Together Towards a Shared Future in the Maritime Domain, and the drills planned for it covered surface, anti-air and anti-submarine warfare, boarding operations, anti-piracy, search and rescue, and damage control and firefighting.

Commanding Officer of INS Tarkash addresses the closing ceremony

Speaking at the ceremony, the Commanding Officer of INS Tarkash said exercises such as IBSAMAR give the three countries a platform to turn long-standing diplomatic ties into practical naval cooperation.

He said the real strength of the exercise lies not only in joint drills at sea but also in the relationships built among personnel. Those ties, he said, grow out of shared experience, professional exchanges and learning from one another.

INS Tarkash completes her third IBSAMAR

As IBSAMAR IX concludes, Tarkash has now sailed for three editions of the exercise. She took part in IBSAMAR VI at Simon's Town in October 2018 alongside INS Kolkata, and returned for IBSAMAR VII at Gqeberha in October 2022, when the Navy announced her arrival in South Africa. Her deployment for this edition was announced earlier this month. The Talwar class frigate serves with the Western Fleet in Mumbai, and in June she completed a port call in Mauritius.

The previous edition, IBSAMAR VIII, was also held at Simon's Town, in October 2024, with INS Talwar representing India.

IBSAMAR has run under the IBSA framework since 2008

The exercise was first held in 2008 under the India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) framework. The three countries lie on three continents but share an interest in safe, secure and stable seas, the Navy said. IBSAMAR gives their navies a regular way to tackle common maritime challenges, exchange best practices and train to operate together. According to the Navy, the professional bonds formed among the crews last beyond the exercise and strengthen links between the three services.

The exercise ran alongside other Indian Navy deployments abroad this month. INS Trishul was at Plymouth from 8 to 15 October for Exercise Konkan with the Royal Navy.