SEABIRD NAVAL BASE, KARWAR: In what is considered a red letter day in the maritime history of India, the Navy’s Offshore Patrol Vessel (NOPV) INS Sunayna on Saturday set sail on a historic expedition from INS Kadamba naval base, Karwar for a maiden maritime exercise involving nine friendly nations of Asia and Africa. The drill aims for better coordination, cooperation and prosperity among participating countries.
The expedition -- part of Indian Ocean Ship (IOS) Sagar (Security and Growth for All in the Region) -- was flagged off by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The exercise will see the participation of Comoros, Kenya, Madagascar, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, Sri Lanka and Tanzania.
The expedition is considered to be beneficial to all nations in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), said Singh. “IOS Sagar is a reflection of India’s commitment to peace, prosperity and collective security in the maritime domain. It does not involve just the security and national interest of India, but also focuses on mutual benefits -- equality of rights and duties of our friendly nations in the IOR. The friendly nations need not fear being suppressed. Their interests will be protected and sovereignty not compromised,” he said.
He appreciated the role of the Navy in preventing piracy and hijacking of ships in the Indian Ocean, saying, “The Navy ensures security of not just Indian Ships, but also friendly nations to ensure peace and stability in the region.”
Singh said Prime Minister’s Narendra Modi, during his visit to Mauritius, referred to the shift from ‘Sagar’ to Mahasagar (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions). It is time to strengthen Sagar vision, he added.
INS Sunayna has 44 crew members -- Navy personnel from nine countries trained at Kochi. During the exercise, they will be trained in firefighting, damage control, search and seizure, bridge operations, seamanship, engine room management, switchboard operations and boat handling.