India-Brazil-South Africa Maritime (IBSAMAR) Exercise 2026

About India-Brazil-South Africa Maritime (IBSAMAR) Exercise 2026

• India-Brazil-South Africa Maritime (IBSAMAR) Exercise 2026 is a trilateral maritime exercise between India, Brazil and South Africa.
• Aim: It aims to enhance interoperability, strengthen maritime cooperation and promote mutual understanding amongst the participating forces.
• Frequency: It has been conducted biennially.
• First edition: The first edition of the exercise was conducted in 2008. 
• 2026 Edition: 
  • This is ninth edition of the exercise.
  • Hosted by: It has been hosted by South Africa.
  • Location: It is being conducted at Simon’s Town, Western Cape, South Africa from October 8 to October 19, 2026.
  • Theme: The theme is Stronger Together Towards a Shared Future in the Maritime Domain.
  • Aim: It aims to promote collective maritime security and preparedness to address maritime challenges.
  • Participants: 
    • The South African Navy will participate with SAS Amatola, SAS King Sekhukhune I and SAS Adam Kok III, along with SAS Manthatisi submarine. 
    • Brazil will participate with BNS Barroso, embarked with one integral Lynx helicopter.
    • The Indian Navy is represented by INS Tarkash embarked with one integral Chetak helicopter.
  • Features:
    • The exercise encompasses a broad spectrum of maritime operations, including surface warfare, anti-air warfare, anti-submarine warfare, naval air operations, maritime interdiction, and Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS).
    • It also includes anti-piracy operations, Search and Rescue (SAR), damage control and firefighting, along with professional interactions.

About INS Tarkash INS Tarkash is a guided missile stealth frigate of the Indian Navy. It is the second of three Talwar-class guided missile frigates. Built by: It was built by Yantar Shipyard at Kaliningrad, Russia. It was commissioned into Indian Navy in 2012. The ship is part of the Indian Navy’s Western Fleet based at Mumbai under the Western Naval Command. Features: It is equipped with a versatile range of weapons and sensors capable of addressing threats from air, sea and underwater. Displacement: It displaces 3,850 tonnes. Speed and Range: It can travel at speeds exceeding 30 knots and has a range of 4,500 nautical miles or can operate for 30 days. Weapons: It carries surface-to-air missiles, 100 mm guns, close-range guns, torpedoes and rocket launchers. The ship incorporates the latest stealth features such as reduced radar, infra-red, acoustic, and magnetic signatures, thus making it difficult to detect at sea.