Amid West Asia tensions, India leads 16-nation maritime initiative with IOS SAGAR

With the West Asia conflict entering its fifth week and disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz triggering economic and energy instability, the Indian Navy on Thursday (April 2, 2026) flagged off INS Sunayna as the Indian Ocean Ship (IOS) SAGAR, reinforcing its commitment to regional maritime security and cooperation.

The offshore patrol vessel, carrying Indian Navy personnel along with representatives from 16 friendly foreign countries, was flagged off by Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth in the presence of Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi at Naval Dockyard in Mumbai.

Highlighting the evolving security landscape, Admiral Tripathi said maritime competition was no longer limited to oil and energy but was expanding to critical domains such as rare earth elements, minerals, fishing grounds and data. He noted that the global order was witnessing increasing flux and friction, with the maritime domain emerging as a primary arena of contestation.

He also flagged rising challenges including illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, deep-sea research activities encroaching on sovereign rights, and growing threats from piracy, armed robbery and narco-trafficking aided by advanced technologies.

Scale of maritime threats

Citing data, the Naval Chief said the Indian Ocean Region recorded around 3,700 maritime incidents last year, while narcotics seizures crossed $1 billion in 2025, underscoring the scale of maritime threats.

Describing the IOS SAGAR as a significant collaborative initiative, he said the participation of 16 nations reflects a shared commitment to enhancing maritime security in a complex and contested environment.

During the deployment, the IOS SAGAR will undertake port calls at Colombo, Phuket, Jakarta, Singapore, Chittagong, Yangon and Male before concluding at Kochi. The mission will focus on training in seamanship, navigation, communication, maritime safety, firefighting, damage control and VBSS operations to improve operational readiness and interoperability among participating nations.