Indian Navy marked successful culmination of landmark IOS SAGAR deployment with flag-in of INS Sunayna at Kochi on 20 May 2026
Joint mission involved 38 personnel from 16 partner nations: Bangladesh, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia, Mauritius, Maldives, Mozambique, Myanmar, Seychelles, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor Leste, and United Arab Emirates
Deployment represented one of the most comprehensive multinational operational engagements conducted in the Indian Ocean Region
Mission was flagged off from Mumbai on 02 April 2026 by Hon'ble Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Sanjay Seth
Ship undertook port calls at Malé, Phuket, Jakarta, Singapore, Yangon, Chattogram, and Colombo during deployment
Deployment featured collaborative engagements including passage exercises, cross-deck interactions, Subject Matter Expert Exchanges, coordinated seamanship evolutions, maritime security discussions, and professional interactions
Multinational crew underwent comprehensive harbour training at Southern Naval Command, Kochi covering seamanship, navigation, firefighting, damage control, communication procedures, VBSS operations, and advanced Bridgemanship
Crew participated in IONS Maritime Exercise IMEX 2026 Table Top Exercise at Kochi
Mission embodied 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)
