Mumbai, April 2 INS Sunayna, an Offshore Patrol Vessel of the Indian Navy, set sail from Mumbai on Thursday as part of the Indian Ocean Ship (IOS) SAGAR initiative, aimed at reinforcing the country's commitment to regional maritime security and international cooperation.
The ship, carrying naval personnel from India and sixteen maritime forces of Friendly Foreign Countries (FFCs), was flagged off by Sanjay Seth, Minister of State for Defence, in the presence of Naval Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi.
In his address, Seth emphasized that the IOS SAGAR initiative reflects India's collective vision of "leadership through partnership, strength through unity, and progress through peace."
He highlighted the recent return of INSV Kaundinya from Oman, symbolizing the growing maritime cooperation between the two countries, and emphasized that IOS SAGAR 2026 builds on this spirit of engagement, expanding it into a broader and more inclusive framework of regional partnerships.
Quoting Prime Minister Narendra Modi that "a free, open, inclusive Indo-Pacific is in the interest of all nations," Seth underscored India's "Neighbourhood First" policy and the Vision MAHASAGAR – Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions.
He highlighted that IOS SAGAR is a practical and operational expression of Vision MAHASAGAR, bringing partner nations together on a shared platform for training, collaboration, and collective readiness, demonstrating that maritime security is most effective when it is built through cooperation and shared responsibility.
Speaking on the occasion, Navy chief Tripathi highlighted the evolving maritime landscape marked by increasing contestation, piracy, drug trafficking, and emerging competition over critical resources, and underscored the need for collaborative approaches to ensure a free, open, and secure Indian Ocean.
"Bringing together 16 like-minded maritime countries for a shared purpose and collective commitment through IOS SAGAR is rare and significant in a complex maritime environment," Admiral Tripathi said.
The mission completed its harbor phase from March 16-29, enabling professional exchanges, training, and coordination among participating personnel, and will undergo the sea phase from April 2 to May 20 through operational deployment across the South-Eastern Indian Ocean Region.
During this, IOS SAGAR will make port calls at Colombo (Sri Lanka), Phuket (Thailand), Jakarta (Indonesia), Singapore, Chittagong (Bangladesh), Yangon (Myanmar), Male (Maldives) and conclude the deployment at Kochi, India.
The crew will be trained in seamanship, navigation, communication procedures, maritime safety, firefighting, damage control, VBSS operations, and advanced bridgemanship to enhance operational readiness and decision-making capabilities in complex maritime environments.