In News:

India successfully concluded its participation in Exercise Sea Dragon 2025, a two-week multinational anti-submarine warfare (ASW) drill conducted in the Indo-Pacific region, hosted by the United States Navy’s 7th Fleet.

About Exercise Sea Dragon 2025

• Type: Annual Multinational Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Exercise
• Duration: Two weeks
• Location:Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Western Pacific
• Host: U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet
• Inception: Started as a bilateral US-Australia exercise in 2019; expanded to include more Indo-Pacific allies.
• India’s Participation: Since 2021; SD25 marks India’s 4th consecutive participation.

Objectives of Sea Dragon 2025

• Enhance Maritime Security and regional naval cooperation
• Strengthen anti-submarine warfare capabilities
• Improve interoperability and coordination among Indo-Pacific allies
• Promote a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific
• Address undersea threats, particularly in light of China’s growing maritime presence

Key Features of Sea Dragon 2025

• Live ASWEX: Tracking of real U.S. Navy submarines
• Mobile Drills: Use of MK-30 ‘SLED’ (Submarine Launch Expendable Device) as training targets
• Competitive Phase: Crews evaluated and graded based on ASW tactics and effectiveness
• Theoretical + Practical Training: Included tactical discussions, submarine detection, and neutralization scenarios
• Deployment of Advanced MPRA (Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft): Equipped with sonobuoys and sensors for submarine tracking

Significance for India

• Improves ASW Readiness and operational capabilities of the Indian Navy
• Strengthens ties with Quad members (U.S., Australia, Japan) and other Indo-Pacific partners
• Supports India’s broader strategy of naval modernization
• Aligns with India’s efforts to safeguard its interests in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and maintain regional stability.

Outcome

• RAAF (Australia) emerged as the top-performing team in the competitive phase.
• India successfully demonstrated its capabilities and reaffirmed commitment to Indo-Pacific security cooperation.