KOCHI: INS Sunayna, operating as IOS Sagar, returned to Kochi on Thursday after completing a landmark month-long deployment across the southwestern Indian Ocean. Jointly crewed by sailors from nine Indian Ocean Region (IOR) nations — Comoros, Kenya, Madagascar, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, and Tanzania — the ship’s mission was a first-of-its-kind initiative under the Indian Navy’s larger MAHASAGAR vision for regional security and cooperation.
“This was a very thrilling experience, especially to operate so closely with India and personnel with other Navies in the Indian Ocean Region. It was challenging in the beginning, as you can imagine, but over time, we were able to work together as one crew, a tangible expression of our individual nations’ growing partnership,” said Inspector Rambhojun of Mauritius Coast Guard.
The journey began on April 5 from Karwar, flagged off by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. Over the next month, IOS Sagar made port calls at Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania; Nacala, Mozambique; Port Louis, Mauritius; Port Victoria, Seychelles, and Male in Maldives, undertaking joint naval exercises, cultural exchanges, and coordinated patrols.
Key highlights included participation in AIKEYME 2025 (Africa-India Key Maritime Engagement), a multilateral naval exercise hosted by India and Tanzania, as well as community engagements and interoperability drills with Mozambique and Mauritius navies.
Sub Lt Martins Henriques of Mozambique, who was undertaking his first training with India, says, “It is a privilege to be able to work closely with India and other IOR Navies, and to have undergone this training. I hope to impart all I have learned to my countrymen,” he said.
At the homecoming ceremony arranged at the Naval Base in Kochi, Southern Naval Command chief Vice Admiral V Srinivas lauded the crew’s efforts, calling it “a new chapter in regional maritime cooperation”.