New Delhi: After nearly a month-long deployment in the south-west Indian Ocean Region, IOS SAGAR on Thursday returned home, with the Navy saying it marks a “new chapter” in maritime cooperation and underscores India’s commitment to safeguarding collective maritime interests.
The Indian Ocean Ship (IOS) SAGAR had set sail from the shores of the key naval base in Karnataka’s Karwar on April 5, carrying crew members from India and nine other countries. It was flagged off by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
It was deployed under an initiative towards continued cooperation with Indian Ocean Region (IOR) nations in pursuance of India’s vision of Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security Across the Regions or ‘MAHASAGAR’.
INS Sunayna, the Indian Navy Offshore Patrol Vessel, had assumed the mantle of IOS SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) under this mission that seeks to reaffirm India’s commitment to “building stronger ties with its maritime neighbours and working towards a safer, more inclusive and secure maritime environment in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR)”.
The Indian Navy’s maiden initiative of IOS SAGAR, jointly crewed by personnel from nine IOR navies, concluded its month-long deployment in south-west IOR and returned to Kochi on May 8, a spokesperson of the Indian Navy said.
Vice Admiral V Srinivas, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command, congratulated the crew of India and the friendly foreign countries during the grand reception ceremony held at the Naval Base, Kochi.
“The successful completion of the deployment marks a new chapter in maritime cooperation and underscores India’s commitment to safeguarding collective maritime interests, capacity building and enduring partnership with the IOR nations,” the spokesperson said.
During the deployment, the ship undertook port calls at Dar-es-Salaam, Nacala, Port Louis, Port Victoria and Male.
The key highlights of the mission included joint naval exercises, professional and cultural exchanges and joint EEZ (exclusive economic zone) surveillance of Tanzania, Mozambique, Mauritius and Seychelles, he said.
Strengthening regional maritime cooperation between India and African nations, the ship participated in Africa India Key Maritime Exercise (AIKEYME) 2025 alongside INS Chennai and INS Kesari, which was jointly hosted by India and Tanzania from April 13-18. The exercise provided an opportunity for the crew of IOS Sagar to participate in the joint harbour phase and interact with the participating navies.