The five-nation Naval exercise Sea Dragon 2025, which includes the Indian Navy, commenced off the Guam coast in the western Pacific Ocean. The Sea Dragon exercise 2025 is being hosted by the United States Navy’s 7th fleet and will be held from 4-19 March 2025.
It is a multilateral naval exercise where the allies and partner countries of the United States are invited.to improve tactical and command interoperability between the allies and partners.
History and Participants of the Sea Dragon 2025
- The exercise started as a joint United States Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force exercise in 2019.
- In 2020, the exercise included the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF), the Republic of Korea Navy (South Korea), and the Royal New Zealand Navy.
- In the 2021,2022,2023 editions of the exercises, four Quad members - India, Australia, Japan, and the United States -along with the Royal Canadian Air Force and the Republic of Korea Navy participated.
- In the 2024 exercise, the Royal Canadian Air Force was not invited, and it became a Quad plus South Korean exercise.
- In the 2025 edition the United States Navy is hosting the Indian Navy, Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force, Royal Australian Air Force, and the Republic of Korea Navy.
Aim and Nature of the Sea Dragon Exercise
- The Sea Dragon exercise is an anti-submarine warfare exercise.
- All the countries deploy their Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance aircraft for the exercise.
- The Indian Navy deploys P8I Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance aircraft manufactured by Boeing of the United States.
- During the exercise, the Pilots and aircrew from the participating countries discuss strategy to coordinate and build plans and tactics for anti-submarine warfare.
- At the end of the exercise, all the participating countries will hunt a live US Navy submarine
- During the exercise, participating countries will be graded for their performance in various events. The countries earning the maximum points win the Dragon Belt award.
- The JMSDF has won the award since 2022.
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