Image for representation. iStock.
PTI
Johannesburg, Updated At : 01:27 PM Feb 03, 2026 IST
The South African Navy’s frigate SAS AMATOLA has set sail for India to represent South Africa at the 2026 International Fleet Review and Exercise MILAN, hosted by the Indian Navy.
The SAN said the voyage is significant on several fronts, marking an important step for South Africa’s maritime posture and signalling a return to long-range deployments after a lengthy period of constrained operations. The deployment, the navy added, reflects careful planning, prioritisation and professional resolve.
SAS Amatola will take part in the Indian Navy’s International Fleet Review and Exercise MILAN, a major multilateral exercise focused on interoperability, maritime security operations and strategic dialogue among participating countries. These events bring together naval forces to address shared responsibilities for safety, stability and cooperation across the Indian Ocean Region.
Concurrently, the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium Conclave of Chiefs and an International Maritime Seminar will be held, providing forums to discuss humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR), information sharing and coordinated responses to non-traditional security threats.
At a send-off at Naval Base Durban, Vice Admiral Monde Lobese, Chief of the South African Navy, said South Africa’s participation reinforces long-standing defence ties with India built through decades of bilateral and trilateral engagement. He noted the deployment fulfils a diplomatic commitment made during his official visit to India in 2024, when he pledged to send a South African vessel to the International Fleet Review.
Lobese urged the ship’s company to act as maritime diplomats, stressing that their conduct at sea and ashore should present the country and the navy in the best possible light. He also acknowledged public debate about the navy’s operational capacity, funding shortfalls and maintenance backlogs that have reduced sea hours and delayed refits, limiting sustained overseas deployments.
“We all know that it has been quite a while since we have had the privilege of sending a ship on such a voyage,” Lobese said, calling the deployment an important moment for both the navy and the country.
Exercise MILAN has grown into one of the world’s largest multilateral naval gatherings, aimed at strengthening interoperability, trust and cooperative maritime security. The SAN said South Africa’s involvement places it within a community of professional navies addressing common challenges such as maritime safety, humanitarian assistance and the protection of sea lines of communication.
