The Indian Navy’s offshore patrol vessel, INS Sunayna—renamed Indian Ocean Ship (IOS) SAGAR—arrived in Malé on Tuesday, marking the final stop of a six-week multinational maritime security mission across the Indian Ocean Region.
The vessel was welcomed by Brigadier General Mohamed Saleem, Commandant of the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) Coast Guard, along with senior MNDF officials. The visit underscores the deepening maritime cooperation between India and the Maldives.
Brig Gen Mohamed Saleem, Commandant Coast Guard and senior officers of MNDF warmly welcomed the ship, underscoring the robust partnership between #Indian and #Maldives
🇮🇳🤝🇲🇻@HQ_IDS_India@IndianNavy@IndianDiplomacy@MEAIndia@IN_HQSNC pic.twitter.com/adtNmBqZHr
— India in Maldives (@HCIMaldives) May 6, 2025
Launched on April 5 from Karwar Naval Base by India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, the mission aimed to bolster regional maritime security and enhance collaboration among Indian Ocean nations. The deployment included port calls in Mauritius, Seychelles, Mozambique, Tanzania, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Kenya, and Comoros, with the Maldives as its concluding destination.
The mission featured a diverse crew of 44 naval personnel from ten countries: India, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Mozambique, Madagascar, Seychelles, Comoros, Kenya, and Tanzania. This multinational composition facilitated joint training exercises, professional exchanges, and cultural interactions, fostering interoperability and mutual understanding among participating nations.
The IOS SAGAR initiative aligns with India’s “Security and Growth for All in the Region” (SAGAR) doctrine, emphasizing cooperative measures to ensure peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indian Ocean Region. The mission also complements India’s broader maritime security efforts, including Operation Sankalp, which addresses challenges such as piracy and threats to commercial shipping in the region.
Following its two-day port call in Malé, IOS SAGAR is scheduled to return to Kochi, India, concluding its extensive deployment aimed at reinforcing maritime partnerships and regional security.
