INS Sahyadri and INS Kulish Complete 23rd ADMM-Plus Maritime Security Activity at Subic Bay

Indian Navy ships INS Sahyadri and INS Kulish took part in the 23rd ADMM-Plus Experts' Working Group on Maritime Security Joint Cooperation Activity at Subic Bay in the Philippines. The activity ran from 21 to 25 September 2026 and was hosted by the Philippine Navy with Japan as co-chair. It covered port and sea phases including search and rescue, hydrographic survey and medical evacuation drills. India linked its participation to the Act East Policy and its maritime vision for the region. The item is central to questions on ASEAN-led defence mechanisms.

What Happened

Indian Navy ships INS Sahyadri and INS Kulish took part in the 23rd ADMM-Plus Experts' Working Group on Maritime Security Joint Cooperation Activity at Subic Bay, Philippines, from 21 to 25 September 2026. The activity was hosted by the Philippine Navy and co-chaired by Japan, and it brought together navies from ASEAN member states and dialogue partner countries. It ran in two phases, one in harbour and one at sea.

When & Where

The activity was held from 21 to 25 September 2026 at Subic Bay in the Philippines. Subic Bay lies on the western coast of Luzon and faces the South China Sea, one of the world's busiest and most contested maritime zones. Its deep natural harbour made it a long-standing naval base, and it remains a working port for multinational naval activity.

Who Is Involved

Ministry of Defence, Government of India — announced India's participation.
Indian Navy — deployed INS Sahyadri, a stealth frigate, and INS Kulish, a missile corvette.
Philippine Navy — hosted the activity at Subic Bay.
Japan — co-chaired the Experts' Working Group on Maritime Security for this cycle.
ASEAN member states and dialogue partners — participating navies under the ADMM-Plus framework.

How It Works

A working group, not a treaty body. The ADMM-Plus organises its practical work through Experts' Working Groups, each dealing with one subject such as maritime security, counter-terrorism or military medicine. Countries co-chair them in pairs on rotation.
Co-chairing by an ASEAN and a non-ASEAN member. A pairing such as the Philippines with Japan ensures that neither ASEAN nor the dialogue partners alone set the agenda.
Port phase first. The harbour stage covers planning conferences, subject matter expert exchanges and tabletop exercises, so that participating navies agree on procedures before going to sea.
Sea phase tests the procedures. Ships then practise search and rescue, hydrographic survey, medical evacuation, aircraft deck operations and assistance to a distressed vessel, which are the tasks navies most often perform together in a real emergency.
Interoperability is the actual objective. Navies use different equipment and different drills, so the value lies in learning to work to a common procedure rather than in demonstrating firepower.
Non-traditional security focus. The chosen drills are humanitarian and safety tasks rather than combat exercises, which keeps the activity politically acceptable to every participant in a contested region.

Why It Matters

Strategic. Regular participation in ASEAN-led mechanisms gives India a standing role in Indo-Pacific security architecture rather than an occasional presence.
Operational. Joint drills build the ability to work with regional navies during disaster relief, search and rescue and anti-piracy operations.
Diplomatic. Naval cooperation with the Philippines and Japan deepens India's partnerships in the eastern Indian Ocean and the South China Sea region.
Economic. A very large share of India's trade moves by sea through these waters, so the security of these sea lanes bears directly on the economy.

Historical Background

The ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus was created as the enlarged form of the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting, bringing eight dialogue partners into a defence forum led by ASEAN. Its first meeting was held in Hanoi in 2010. India has been a participant from the beginning, and Indian Navy ships have joined its maritime security activities in successive cycles. This participation sits within India's Act East Policy, which succeeded the earlier Look East Policy and shifted the emphasis from trade engagement to strategic and security cooperation with Southeast Asia.

Previous Related Events

2010: The first ADMM-Plus meeting was held in Hanoi, bringing ASEAN and eight dialogue partners into a common defence forum.
Successive cycles: Indian Navy ships have taken part in earlier editions of the ADMM-Plus maritime security activity, of which this was the 23rd Experts' Working Group.
21 to 25 September 2026: INS Sahyadri and INS Kulish participated in the activity at Subic Bay.

Static GK Connection

ADMM-Plus: the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus, which brings together ASEAN member states and eight dialogue partners — Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, Russia and the United States.
ASEAN: the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, established by the Bangkok Declaration in 1967 as a regional grouping for political and economic cooperation.
Act East Policy: India's policy of deepening strategic, security and economic engagement with Southeast Asia and the wider Indo-Pacific, which succeeded the Look East Policy.
SAGAR and MAHASAGAR: SAGAR stands for Security and Growth for All in the Region, and MAHASAGAR stands for Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions. Both express India's vision for maritime cooperation in its neighbourhood.

India & World Comparison

India participates in ADMM-Plus as one of the eight dialogue partners alongside Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, Russia and the United States. Unlike a formal alliance such as NATO, the ADMM-Plus has no mutual defence obligation and works instead through practical cooperation in working groups. This suits India's position, which favours issue-based partnerships over treaty alliances. Hosting duties and co-chairing rotate among members, so influence in the forum comes from consistent participation rather than from formal seniority.

Future Impact

Continued rotation: the Experts' Working Group on Maritime Security continues into further cycles with new co-chair pairs, keeping the mechanism active.
Regional interoperability: procedures agreed in these activities feed into real humanitarian and search and rescue operations in the region.
India-Philippines ties: naval cooperation with the Philippines is likely to deepen given shared interest in maritime domain awareness.
Indo-Pacific architecture: sustained Indian participation strengthens the case for ASEAN-centred security mechanisms alongside other groupings in the region.

🔑 Key Points for Revision

The 23rd ADMM-Plus Experts' Working Group on Maritime Security activity was held at Subic Bay, Philippines.
The activity ran from 21 to 25 September 2026.
INS Sahyadri and INS Kulish represented the Indian Navy.
INS Sahyadri is a stealth frigate.
INS Kulish is a missile corvette.
The Philippine Navy hosted the activity and Japan was co-chair.
The activity had a port phase and a sea phase.
Drills covered search and rescue, hydrographic survey and medical evacuation.
Aircraft deck operations and distressed vessel assistance were also practised.
Subject Matter Expert Exchanges on Peace and Security were part of the programme.
The ASEAN Navy Chiefs' Meeting and Guidelines for Maritime Interaction featured in the programme.
Indian personnel joined tabletop exercises and pre-sail conferences.
ADMM-Plus links ASEAN member states with eight dialogue partners.
The first ADMM-Plus meeting was held in Hanoi in 2010.
India's participation was framed within the Act East Policy.

🧠 Concept Link (Static GK Deep Dive)

Core Concept: ADMM-Plus and ASEAN-led security architecture

Definition: The ADMM-Plus is a defence ministers' forum in which ASEAN member states meet eight dialogue partners to cooperate on practical security issues.
Institutional Basis: It is an extension of the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting and works through Experts' Working Groups on specific themes, with co-chairs drawn from one ASEAN and one non-ASEAN member.
Strategic Principle: ASEAN centrality means that regional security dialogue is anchored in ASEAN institutions rather than in any single major power's framework.
Link to this event: The 23rd Experts' Working Group on Maritime Security met at Subic Bay from 21 to 25 September 2026, with India sending INS Sahyadri and INS Kulish.
Origin & History: The first ADMM-Plus was held in Hanoi in 2010.
Key milestone 1: 1967 — ASEAN was established by the Bangkok Declaration.
Key milestone 2: 2010 — the ADMM-Plus was convened for the first time, adding eight dialogue partners to the ASEAN defence platform.
The eight dialogue partners: Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, Russia and the United States.
Nodal Ministry / Body: the Ministry of Defence handles India's participation, with the Indian Navy providing the ships and personnel.
India-specific relevance: India's Act East Policy makes ASEAN mechanisms the main channel for its security engagement with Southeast Asia.
Global comparison: Unlike NATO, the ADMM-Plus carries no mutual defence commitment and operates through cooperative activity rather than collective defence.
Common exam angle: Examiners ask what ADMM-Plus stands for, when and where it first met, who its dialogue partners are, and which Indian ships took part in its activities.
Easy memory hook: "ASEAN plus eight, Hanoi 2010, Subic Bay 2026."

❓ Practice MCQs

Q1. Where was the 23rd ADMM-Plus Experts' Working Group on Maritime Security Joint Cooperation Activity held? [Easy]

A) Subic Bay, Philippines

B) Hanoi, Vietnam

C) Singapore

D) Port Blair, India

Answer: A

Explanation: The activity was held at Subic Bay in the Philippines from 21 to 25 September 2026.

Q2. Which Indian Navy ships took part in the activity? [Easy]

A) INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya

B) INS Sahyadri and INS Kulish

C) INS Delhi and INS Kolkata

D) INS Chennai and INS Mumbai

Answer: B

Explanation: INS Sahyadri, a stealth frigate, and INS Kulish, a missile corvette, represented the Indian Navy.

Q3. Which country co-chaired the Experts' Working Group with the host nation? [Moderate]

A) Australia

B) United States

C) Japan

D) Republic of Korea

Answer: C

Explanation: The Philippine Navy hosted the activity and Japan served as co-chair of the Experts' Working Group.

Q4. The first ADMM-Plus meeting was held in which year and city? [Moderate]

A) 2007 in Singapore

B) 2010 in Hanoi

C) 2012 in Phnom Penh

D) 2015 in Kuala Lumpur

Answer: B

Explanation: The ADMM-Plus met for the first time in Hanoi in 2010, adding eight dialogue partners to the ASEAN defence platform.

Q5. Which of the following was NOT among the drills conducted in the sea phase of this activity? [Moderate]

A) Search and rescue

B) Hydrographic survey

C) Medical evacuation

D) Live missile firing

Answer: D

Explanation: The sea phase covered search and rescue, hydrographic survey, medical evacuation, aircraft deck operations and assistance to a distressed vessel.

Q6. How many dialogue partners take part in the ADMM-Plus alongside ASEAN member states? [Tricky]

A) Six

B) Ten

C) Eight

D) Twelve

Answer: C

Explanation: The ADMM-Plus brings in eight dialogue partners: Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, Russia and the United States.

Q7. Which statement best describes the nature of the ADMM-Plus? [Tricky]

A) A military alliance with a mutual defence obligation

B) A United Nations peacekeeping command for Southeast Asia

C) An ASEAN-led defence cooperation forum without a mutual defence commitment

D) A trade bloc that also handles maritime disputes

Answer: C

Explanation: The ADMM-Plus works through Experts' Working Groups on practical cooperation and carries no mutual defence obligation of the kind found in a military alliance.

Q8. What does SAGAR stand for in the context of India's maritime vision? [Tricky]

A) Strategic Alliance for Growth and Regional Advancement

B) Security and Growth for All in the Region

C) Southern Asian Gateway for Advancement of Regions

D) Sea Access Guarantee and Regional Access

Answer: B

Explanation: SAGAR stands for Security and Growth for All in the Region, while MAHASAGAR stands for Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions.

📜 Previous Year Question Style (PYQ)

PYQ 1:

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations was established by which declaration?

A) The Manila Declaration

B) The Jakarta Declaration

C) The Bangkok Declaration

D) The Kuala Lumpur Declaration

Answer: C

Explanation: ASEAN was established by the Bangkok Declaration in 1967, and the ADMM-Plus later grew out of its defence ministers' mechanism.

PYQ 2:

Consider the following statements about the 23rd ADMM-Plus maritime security activity:

It was held at Subic Bay in the Philippines.
India was represented by INS Sahyadri and INS Kulish.
It consisted only of a harbour phase with no sea phase.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

A) 1 only

B) 1 and 2 only

C) 2 and 3 only

D) All of the above

Answer: B

Explanation: Statements 1 and 2 are correct. Statement 3 is wrong because the activity had both a port phase and a sea phase.

PYQ 3:

Assertion (A): The drills chosen for the ADMM-Plus maritime security activity were humanitarian and safety tasks rather than combat exercises.

Reason (R): Such tasks allow navies with differing strategic positions to cooperate without political difficulty.

A) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A

B) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A

C) A is true but R is false

D) A is false but R is true

Answer: A

Explanation: The activity covered search and rescue, hydrographic survey, medical evacuation and assistance to a distressed vessel, and it is precisely their non-combat character that lets participants with different strategic outlooks work together.

✍️ Mains Answer Pointers

Question 1 (150 words): Examine the significance of India's participation in ADMM-Plus maritime security activities.

India's deployment of INS Sahyadri and INS Kulish to the 23rd ADMM-Plus Experts' Working Group on Maritime Security activity at Subic Bay, from 21 to 25 September 2026, reflects a settled policy rather than an occasional gesture. The ADMM-Plus links ASEAN member states with eight dialogue partners, and India has been part of it since its first meeting in Hanoi in 2010.

The practical value lies in interoperability. The activity covered search and rescue, hydrographic survey, medical evacuation, aircraft deck operations and assistance to a distressed vessel, tasks that regional navies actually perform together during emergencies. Agreeing on common procedures in a planned activity is what makes cooperation possible in an unplanned one.

The strategic value is equally clear. Participation anchors India within ASEAN-centred security architecture, consistent with the Act East Policy. The way forward is sustained presence across working groups rather than selective participation.

Question 2 (250 words): Discuss the place of ASEAN-led defence mechanisms in India's Indo-Pacific strategy.

India's Indo-Pacific approach rests on issue-based partnerships rather than treaty alliances, and ASEAN-led mechanisms fit that preference precisely. The ADMM-Plus, which first met in Hanoi in 2010, brings ASEAN member states together with eight dialogue partners — Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, Russia and the United States. It carries no mutual defence obligation and works instead through Experts' Working Groups on themes such as maritime security.

The 23rd Experts' Working Group on Maritime Security activity at Subic Bay, held from 21 to 25 September 2026, illustrates how this operates in practice. The Philippine Navy hosted it with Japan as co-chair, pairing an ASEAN state with a dialogue partner so that neither side alone sets the agenda. India sent INS Sahyadri, a stealth frigate, and INS Kulish, a missile corvette. The programme ran in a port phase of expert exchanges and tabletop exercises and a sea phase of search and rescue, hydrographic survey, medical evacuation and distressed vessel assistance.

Three considerations explain why this matters to India. Geographically, Subic Bay faces the South China Sea, through which a very large share of India's seaborne trade passes. Politically, ASEAN centrality lets India engage the region without being drawn into bloc rivalry. Institutionally, the Act East Policy has made security cooperation, not only trade, the substance of India's Southeast Asia engagement.

The limitation is that consensus-based forums move slowly and avoid contentious issues. The balanced conclusion is that ASEAN mechanisms are a necessary foundation for India, to be maintained alongside, not in place of, its other regional partnerships.

⚠️ Examiner Trap

Trap 1: Students confuse the ADMM with the ADMM-Plus. The correct fact is that the ADMM-Plus is the enlarged format that adds eight dialogue partners, including India, to the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting.
Trap 2: A common wrong assumption is that the ADMM-Plus carries a mutual defence commitment like a military alliance. The reality is that it has no such obligation and works through Experts' Working Groups on practical cooperation.
Trap 3: Many students miss which ships India deployed and what type they are. Always remember that INS Sahyadri is a stealth frigate and INS Kulish is a missile corvette, and both took part at Subic Bay from 21 to 25 September 2026.

INS Sahyadri and INS Kulish Complete 23rd ADMM-Plus Maritime Security Activity at Subic Bay

What Happened

When & Where

Who Is Involved

Ministry of Defence, Government of India — announced India's participation.
Indian Navy — deployed INS Sahyadri, a stealth frigate, and INS Kulish, a missile corvette.
Philippine Navy — hosted the activity at Subic Bay.
Japan — co-chaired the Experts' Working Group on Maritime Security for this cycle.
ASEAN member states and dialogue partners — participating navies under the ADMM-Plus framework.

How It Works

A working group, not a treaty body. The ADMM-Plus organises its practical work through Experts' Working Groups, each dealing with one subject such as maritime security, counter-terrorism or military medicine. Countries co-chair them in pairs on rotation.
Co-chairing by an ASEAN and a non-ASEAN member. A pairing such as the Philippines with Japan ensures that neither ASEAN nor the dialogue partners alone set the agenda.
Port phase first. The harbour stage covers planning conferences, subject matter expert exchanges and tabletop exercises, so that participating navies agree on procedures before going to sea.
Sea phase tests the procedures. Ships then practise search and rescue, hydrographic survey, medical evacuation, aircraft deck operations and assistance to a distressed vessel, which are the tasks navies most often perform together in a real emergency.
Interoperability is the actual objective. Navies use different equipment and different drills, so the value lies in learning to work to a common procedure rather than in demonstrating firepower.
Non-traditional security focus. The chosen drills are humanitarian and safety tasks rather than combat exercises, which keeps the activity politically acceptable to every participant in a contested region.

Why It Matters

Strategic. Regular participation in ASEAN-led mechanisms gives India a standing role in Indo-Pacific security architecture rather than an occasional presence.
Operational. Joint drills build the ability to work with regional navies during disaster relief, search and rescue and anti-piracy operations.
Diplomatic. Naval cooperation with the Philippines and Japan deepens India's partnerships in the eastern Indian Ocean and the South China Sea region.
Economic. A very large share of India's trade moves by sea through these waters, so the security of these sea lanes bears directly on the economy.

Historical Background

Previous Related Events

2010: The first ADMM-Plus meeting was held in Hanoi, bringing ASEAN and eight dialogue partners into a common defence forum.
Successive cycles: Indian Navy ships have taken part in earlier editions of the ADMM-Plus maritime security activity, of which this was the 23rd Experts' Working Group.
21 to 25 September 2026: INS Sahyadri and INS Kulish participated in the activity at Subic Bay.

Static GK Connection

ADMM-Plus: the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus, which brings together ASEAN member states and eight dialogue partners — Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, Russia and the United States.
ASEAN: the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, established by the Bangkok Declaration in 1967 as a regional grouping for political and economic cooperation.
Act East Policy: India's policy of deepening strategic, security and economic engagement with Southeast Asia and the wider Indo-Pacific, which succeeded the Look East Policy.
SAGAR and MAHASAGAR: SAGAR stands for Security and Growth for All in the Region, and MAHASAGAR stands for Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions. Both express India's vision for maritime cooperation in its neighbourhood.

India & World Comparison

Future Impact

Continued rotation: the Experts' Working Group on Maritime Security continues into further cycles with new co-chair pairs, keeping the mechanism active.
Regional interoperability: procedures agreed in these activities feed into real humanitarian and search and rescue operations in the region.
India-Philippines ties: naval cooperation with the Philippines is likely to deepen given shared interest in maritime domain awareness.
Indo-Pacific architecture: sustained Indian participation strengthens the case for ASEAN-centred security mechanisms alongside other groupings in the region.

🔑 Key Points for Revision

The 23rd ADMM-Plus Experts' Working Group on Maritime Security activity was held at Subic Bay, Philippines.
The activity ran from 21 to 25 September 2026.
INS Sahyadri and INS Kulish represented the Indian Navy.
INS Sahyadri is a stealth frigate.
INS Kulish is a missile corvette.
The Philippine Navy hosted the activity and Japan was co-chair.
The activity had a port phase and a sea phase.
Drills covered search and rescue, hydrographic survey and medical evacuation.
Aircraft deck operations and distressed vessel assistance were also practised.
Subject Matter Expert Exchanges on Peace and Security were part of the programme.
The ASEAN Navy Chiefs' Meeting and Guidelines for Maritime Interaction featured in the programme.
Indian personnel joined tabletop exercises and pre-sail conferences.
ADMM-Plus links ASEAN member states with eight dialogue partners.
The first ADMM-Plus meeting was held in Hanoi in 2010.
India's participation was framed within the Act East Policy.

🧠 Concept Link (Static GK Deep Dive)

Core Concept: ADMM-Plus and ASEAN-led security architecture

Definition: The ADMM-Plus is a defence ministers' forum in which ASEAN member states meet eight dialogue partners to cooperate on practical security issues.
Institutional Basis: It is an extension of the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting and works through Experts' Working Groups on specific themes, with co-chairs drawn from one ASEAN and one non-ASEAN member.
Strategic Principle: ASEAN centrality means that regional security dialogue is anchored in ASEAN institutions rather than in any single major power's framework.
Link to this event: The 23rd Experts' Working Group on Maritime Security met at Subic Bay from 21 to 25 September 2026, with India sending INS Sahyadri and INS Kulish.
Origin & History: The first ADMM-Plus was held in Hanoi in 2010.
Key milestone 1: 1967 — ASEAN was established by the Bangkok Declaration.
Key milestone 2: 2010 — the ADMM-Plus was convened for the first time, adding eight dialogue partners to the ASEAN defence platform.
The eight dialogue partners: Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, Russia and the United States.
Nodal Ministry / Body: the Ministry of Defence handles India's participation, with the Indian Navy providing the ships and personnel.
India-specific relevance: India's Act East Policy makes ASEAN mechanisms the main channel for its security engagement with Southeast Asia.
Global comparison: Unlike NATO, the ADMM-Plus carries no mutual defence commitment and operates through cooperative activity rather than collective defence.
Common exam angle: Examiners ask what ADMM-Plus stands for, when and where it first met, who its dialogue partners are, and which Indian ships took part in its activities.
Easy memory hook: "ASEAN plus eight, Hanoi 2010, Subic Bay 2026."

❓ Practice MCQs

Q1. Where was the 23rd ADMM-Plus Experts' Working Group on Maritime Security Joint Cooperation Activity held? [Easy]

A) Subic Bay, Philippines

B) Hanoi, Vietnam

C) Singapore

D) Port Blair, India

Answer: A

Explanation: The activity was held at Subic Bay in the Philippines from 21 to 25 September 2026.

Q2. Which Indian Navy ships took part in the activity? [Easy]

A) INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya

B) INS Sahyadri and INS Kulish

C) INS Delhi and INS Kolkata

D) INS Chennai and INS Mumbai

Answer: B

Explanation: INS Sahyadri, a stealth frigate, and INS Kulish, a missile corvette, represented the Indian Navy.

Q3. Which country co-chaired the Experts' Working Group with the host nation? [Moderate]

A) Australia

B) United States

C) Japan

D) Republic of Korea

Answer: C

Explanation: The Philippine Navy hosted the activity and Japan served as co-chair of the Experts' Working Group.

Q4. The first ADMM-Plus meeting was held in which year and city? [Moderate]

A) 2007 in Singapore

B) 2010 in Hanoi

C) 2012 in Phnom Penh

D) 2015 in Kuala Lumpur

Answer: B

Explanation: The ADMM-Plus met for the first time in Hanoi in 2010, adding eight dialogue partners to the ASEAN defence platform.

Q5. Which of the following was NOT among the drills conducted in the sea phase of this activity? [Moderate]

A) Search and rescue

B) Hydrographic survey

C) Medical evacuation

D) Live missile firing

Answer: D

Explanation: The sea phase covered search and rescue, hydrographic survey, medical evacuation, aircraft deck operations and assistance to a distressed vessel.

Q6. How many dialogue partners take part in the ADMM-Plus alongside ASEAN member states? [Tricky]

A) Six

B) Ten

C) Eight

D) Twelve

Answer: C

Explanation: The ADMM-Plus brings in eight dialogue partners: Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, Russia and the United States.

Q7. Which statement best describes the nature of the ADMM-Plus? [Tricky]

A) A military alliance with a mutual defence obligation

B) A United Nations peacekeeping command for Southeast Asia

C) An ASEAN-led defence cooperation forum without a mutual defence commitment

D) A trade bloc that also handles maritime disputes

Answer: C

Explanation: The ADMM-Plus works through Experts' Working Groups on practical cooperation and carries no mutual defence obligation of the kind found in a military alliance.

Q8. What does SAGAR stand for in the context of India's maritime vision? [Tricky]

A) Strategic Alliance for Growth and Regional Advancement

B) Security and Growth for All in the Region

C) Southern Asian Gateway for Advancement of Regions

D) Sea Access Guarantee and Regional Access

Answer: B

Explanation: SAGAR stands for Security and Growth for All in the Region, while MAHASAGAR stands for Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions.

📜 Previous Year Question Style (PYQ)

PYQ 1:

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations was established by which declaration?

A) The Manila Declaration

B) The Jakarta Declaration

C) The Bangkok Declaration

D) The Kuala Lumpur Declaration

Answer: C

Explanation: ASEAN was established by the Bangkok Declaration in 1967, and the ADMM-Plus later grew out of its defence ministers' mechanism.

PYQ 2:

Consider the following statements about the 23rd ADMM-Plus maritime security activity:

It was held at Subic Bay in the Philippines.
India was represented by INS Sahyadri and INS Kulish.
It consisted only of a harbour phase with no sea phase.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

A) 1 only

B) 1 and 2 only

C) 2 and 3 only

D) All of the above

Answer: B

Explanation: Statements 1 and 2 are correct. Statement 3 is wrong because the activity had both a port phase and a sea phase.

PYQ 3:

Assertion (A): The drills chosen for the ADMM-Plus maritime security activity were humanitarian and safety tasks rather than combat exercises.

Reason (R): Such tasks allow navies with differing strategic positions to cooperate without political difficulty.

A) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A

B) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A

C) A is true but R is false

D) A is false but R is true

Answer: A

✍️ Mains Answer Pointers

Question 1 (150 words): Examine the significance of India's participation in ADMM-Plus maritime security activities.

Question 2 (250 words): Discuss the place of ASEAN-led defence mechanisms in India's Indo-Pacific strategy.

⚠️ Examiner Trap

Trap 1: Students confuse the ADMM with the ADMM-Plus. The correct fact is that the ADMM-Plus is the enlarged format that adds eight dialogue partners, including India, to the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting.
Trap 2: A common wrong assumption is that the ADMM-Plus carries a mutual defence commitment like a military alliance. The reality is that it has no such obligation and works through Experts' Working Groups on practical cooperation.
Trap 3: Many students miss which ships India deployed and what type they are. Always remember that INS Sahyadri is a stealth frigate and INS Kulish is a missile corvette, and both took part at Subic Bay from 21 to 25 September 2026.