Kochi: The Indian Navy on Tuesday marked the successful completion of the landmark IOS SAGAR deployment with the return of INS Sunayna to Kochi after an extensive multinational mission across the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
The deployment involved 38 personnel from 16 partner nations, including Bangladesh, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Myanmar, Seychelles, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor Leste and the UAE.
The mission was conducted under India’s maritime initiatives — SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) and MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) — aimed at strengthening regional maritime cooperation and collective security.
INS Sunayna received a ceremonial welcome with water cannon salutes on its arrival at Kochi harbour. Vice Admiral Sameer Saxena, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Southern Naval Command, attended the flag-in ceremony and praised the multinational crew for their professionalism and teamwork during the prolonged deployment.
During the mission, INS Sunayna visited Malé, Phuket, Jakarta, Singapore, Yangon, Chattogram and Colombo, undertaking passage exercises, maritime security discussions, professional exchanges and coordinated naval activities with partner nations.
The Indian Navy said the deployment enhanced interoperability, operational coordination and mutual understanding among regional navies, helping strengthen collective capabilities to tackle piracy, smuggling, illegal fishing, arms trafficking and other maritime threats.
Before deployment, the multinational crew underwent extensive training at Southern Naval Command in Kochi, covering navigation, firefighting, damage control, communication procedures and VBSS operations. The crew also participated in the IONS Maritime Exercise IMEX 2026 table-top exercise.
The Navy described IOS SAGAR as a major milestone in India’s maritime outreach, reaffirming its role as a preferred security partner and its commitment to promoting a cooperative, secure and rules-based maritime order in the Indian Ocean Region.
