In a historic feat, for India’s maritime diplomacy and regional security leadership, the Navy’s Indian Ocean Ship (IOS) Sagar (INS Sunayna) finally returned home after a month-long expedition in the South-West Indian Ocean Region (SWIOR). The ship, jointly crewed by nine Indian Ocean Region (IOR) navies, returned to Kochi on 08 May 2025. Upon returning, the crew was congratulated by Vice Admiral V Srinivas, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command, as they attended the grand reception ceremony that was held at Naval Base, Kochi, in their honor.
India’s Vision For The Region – MAHASAGAR
INS Sunayna was deployed under the SAGAR initiative, renamed as IOS Sagar, to further India’s diplomatic ties with its maritime neighbors. The initiative was also in line with the government’s vision for the IOR, as highlighted by the MAHASAGAR initiative, the Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security Across the Region. India is focused on significant evolution in regional maritime cooperation and in safeguarding the collective maritime interests of IOR nations. Thus, the successful deployment of the INS Sunayna is a milestone worth celebrating.
INS Sunayna – The Journey Of A Lifetime
The naval vessel was commissioned at the Karwar Naval Base and was flagged off by Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh on 05 April 2025. During its one-month historic tour, the vessel made strategic port calls at Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), Nacala (Mozambique), Port Louis (Mauritius), Port Victoria (Seychelles), and Malé (Maldives).
Highlights of The Deployment
During the one-month deployment, the vessel first made a port call in Mauritius, where the crew engaged in several coastal patrols with the Mauritius Coast Guard. Further enhancing the long-standing bilateral defense relationship between the two nations, the IOS Sagar also held joint training exercises with the Mauritius Police Force to further the maritime security objectives of the mission.
It then departed for Victoria, Seychelles, where the crew was met by the Seychelles Defence Forces and engaged in cross-deck visits, coastal patrolling drills, and even held a joint yoga session as per the operational and cultural exchange initiative.
In the last leg of the journey, the vessel made the final port call at Malé, Maldives where it held a maritime outreach program, aimed at bolstering coastal security cooperation and interoperability with the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF).
These engagements will serve to cement India’s role in the IOR as the security partner of choice and further highlight the nation’s commitment to inclusive maritime engagement in the region.
IOS Sagar’s Unique Multinational Crew
The IOS Sagar mission was unique in the aspect that it fielded a multinational crew, made up of 9 IOR navies. As such, it had 44 naval personnel from the Comoros, Kenya, Madagascar, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, and Tanzania, who went shoulder to shoulder with the Indian Navy men. The crew was the embodiment of the mission’s motto, One Ocean, One Mission, and thus represented an unprecedented level of maritime cooperation.
Before the deployment, the crew engaged in a comprehensive harbor and sea training held at the Southern Naval Command (SNC), Kochi, which laid the foundation of the success witnessed during the one-month journey. The crew showed excellent professionalism and cohesive camaraderie, which were the core attributes that made the MAHASAGAR initiative a huge success.
Strengthening Ties With Africa
The SAGAR mission has also proven itself instrumental in strengthening India’s ties with Africa. It participated in the Africa India Key Maritime Engagement (AIKEYME 2025) alongside INS Chennai & INS Kesari, allowing the multinational crew of the IOS Sagar to participate in the joint harbor phase and interact with the participating Navies. AIKEYME was inaugurated on 13 Apr 25 in Dar-es-Salaam, and was jointly hosted by India and Tanzania.
