Malé (Maldives), April 6 — Indian naval vessel IOS Sagar arrived in Malé on Monday, marking the first port call of its overseas deployment. The ship was accompanied by 39 international crew members representing 16 countries, including personnel from the Maldives National Defence Force.
The Indian Embassy in the Maldives noted the arrival on X as a sign of India’s emphasis on partnership and unity in the region. The deployment is part of the second edition of the Indian Ocean Ship (IOS) SAGAR initiative, which began on March 16, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement on March 18.
The current edition coincides with the Indian Navy taking the chair of the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) in February 2026 and includes participants from 16 IONS nations across the Indian Ocean Region. The programme builds on India’s SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) vision and the broader MAHASAGAR framework to deepen cooperative maritime engagement.
IOS SAGAR is an operational engagement programme that brings naval personnel from friendly foreign countries onboard an Indian naval ship for joint training and sailing. By integrating international participants into shipboard routines and professional training modules, the initiative aims to improve practical cooperation, interoperability and shared understanding of maritime operations.
For this edition, participants will begin with professional training at Indian Naval establishments in Kochi, covering core aspects of naval operations, seamanship and maritime security. That training phase is followed by deployment at sea aboard an Indian naval ship, where international sailors will join Indian Navy personnel in operational activities.
During the voyage the ship will conduct maritime engagement activities and make port calls to interact with partner navies and maritime agencies. These exchanges are intended to strengthen professional ties, enable sharing of best practices and deepen mutual understanding of common maritime challenges.
This report is based on a syndicated feed from ANI and is published as received; the Tribune assumes no responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of the original content.
