IOS Sagar to set sail from Kochi to the Indian Ocean Region with personnel of nine navies

In a rarity, the Indian Navy’s INS Sunayna that will be deployed as Indian Ocean Ship (IOS) Sagar will set sail shortly from Kochi with 44 personnel of nine friendly navies and coast guards from Asia and Africa, on a six-week-long deployment to five countries in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), in the midst of growing influence of China in the region, the renewed threat of piracy, and the continued threat from Houthi rebels to global shipping.

Prior to their departure to Karwar from where the ship is scheduled to be flagged off on April 5 by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, these personnel are currently undergoing a two-week-long training at various professional schools in the Southern Naval Command (SNC), Kochi, including sea training, in order to acclimatise with how personnel work on board Indian Navy ships, it is learnt.

Over the past 10 years, the Indian Navy has deepened its partnerships with maritime agencies that operate in the IOR, to enhance maritime security in consonance with India’s vision of Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR), through initiatives such as joint naval exercises, coordinated patrols, information sharing, humanitarian efforts, capacity building and other diplomatic engagements. Indian Navy is now launching its initiatives of IOS Sagar and Africa India Key Maritime Engagement (AIKEYME), which are aimed at consolidating the navy’s stature as the ‘Preferred Security Partner’ and ‘First Responder’ in the IOR, Navy officials said.

The participants

The crew of India and nine friendly countries — Comoros, Kenya, Madagascar, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, and Tanzania — would jointly operate IOS Sagar that would undertake port calls at Dar-es-Salaam, Nacala, Port Louis, Port Victoria and Male and also do joint surveillance of Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) of Tanzania, Mozambique, Mauritius and Seychelles.

They would be engaged in, among others, watch keeping and other events related to their respective branches/trade. They would witness harbour phase activities of Exercise AIKEYME that is being co-hosted by the Indian Navy and Tanzania Peoples’ Defence Force (TPDF) at Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, said Capt. Ashwin Padiar, Captain Work Up of Flag Officer Sea Training (FOST).

In a media interaction at the SNC on Saturday, Cmde Abraham Samuel, Chief Staff Officer to FOST, said the Indian Navy, by way of initiatives like IOS Sagar and AIKEYME aims to strengthen its long-standing commitment towards greater engagement with other regional navies.

One of the personnel who has been attending the training at the SNC prior to deployment on board IOS Sagar, Inspector S.K.C. Rambhojun from Mauritius told mediapersons that the technical sessions helped gain insight on how modern ships operate. Another attendee – Lt. Manuja Yasarathna from Sri Lankan Navy — spoke of how the sessions that covered different aspects of navigation were of immense help to him and his colleagues.