Amid growing uncertainty in the Indian Ocean, India has brought together 16 Friendly Foreign Countries (FFC’s) under a shared banner of “One Ocean, One Mission.”
On Thursday, 2 April 2026, the Indian Navy flagged off Indian Ocean Ship (IOS) Sagar at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai, reinforcing its vision of Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR).
INS Sunayna, a Saryu-class Offshore Patrol Vessel, sailed out as IOS Sagar with naval personnel from India and partner nations onboard. The deployment reflects a practical push towards deeper cooperation and maritime security across the region.
The ceremony was flagged off by Raksha Rajya Mantri Sanjay Seth, in the presence of Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi.
Participating nations include Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Thailand, the UAE, and India.
Launched Against a Tense Backdrop
This edition of IOS Sagar comes at a particularly sensitive moment.
Just weeks before the launch, on 4 March 2026, the Iranian warship IRIS Dena was sunk by a US submarine in international waters near Sri Lanka, not far from Galle. The strike, which reportedly killed at least 87 sailors, sharply escalated tensions between the US and Iran.
The timing drew attention in India as well, especially since the vessel had recently participated in Indian Navy-led engagements.
IRIS Dena and Strategic Ripples
The IRIS Dena, one of Iran’s newer frigates, had taken part in the International Fleet Review and Exercise Milan 2026 hosted by India, concluding on 25 February. Shortly after leaving Indian waters, it was struck in the Indian Ocean.
Sri Lankan authorities reported heavy casualties, with at least 87 sailors killed and 32 rescued. The vessel was a capable platform, equipped with missiles, torpedoes, radar systems, and aviation facilities.
The incident has since deepened tensions in West Asia and beyond. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described it as the first instance since World War II of a US submarine sinking a ship by torpedo in the Indian Ocean.
Back in India, the episode triggered debate around strategic autonomy. Government sources clarified that the vessel was considered a guest only until the conclusion of Milan and that the strike took place outside Indian territorial waters. Claims that US forces used Indian ports were also denied.
Staying the Course on Cooperation
Despite the volatile backdrop, India moved ahead with IOS Sagar’s second edition on 16 March 2026.
The initiative itself is not new. The first edition was launched in April 2025, when INS Sunayna sailed from Karwar with 44 personnel from nine friendly foreign nations onboard.
IOS Sagar 2026 builds on that foundation. This year, personnel from 17 nations, including India, have trained together, improving interoperability and strengthening shared responses to maritime challenges. The initiative aligns not only with SAGAR but also with the broader MAHASAGAR framework.
A Region Under Pressure
Addressing the gathering, Naval Chief Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi pointed to an increasingly complex maritime environment shaped by rising competition, illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, piracy, narco-trafficking, and growing competition over critical resources. He emphasized the need for collaborative approaches to keep the Indian Ocean free, open, and secure.
“This year alone, we witnessed the ‘Maritime Mahakumbh’ in Visakhapatnam — bringing together the International Fleet Review, Exercise MILAN, and the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium conclave. Today, we carry that momentum forward with the flag-off of IOS Sagar,” he said.
He noted that the deployment comes at a time when the global order remains unsettled, with friction increasingly playing out at sea. The ongoing conflict in West Asia, now in its fifth week, has already disrupted the Strait of Hormuz, triggering economic and energy instability across the region. At the same time, maritime competition is no longer limited to oil and energy. It is steadily expanding into areas that will define future growth, including rare earth elements, critical minerals, new fishing grounds, and even data.
This shift has led to a surge in marine surveys, deep-sea research, and IUU fishing activities, often encroaching on the sovereign rights of coastal nations and exploiting gaps in monitoring and enforcement. Alongside these, traditional threats such as piracy, armed robbery, and narco-trafficking have grown more complex, aided by access to advanced technologies by non-state actors.
The scale of the challenge is evident. In 2025 alone, the Indian Ocean Region recorded nearly 3,700 maritime incidents of varying nature, while narcotics seizures crossed USD 1 billion, underlining the persistence of these threats.
What Lies Ahead for IOS Sagar
“In such a complex maritime environment, the coming together of 16 like-minded maritime nations under IOS Sagar is both rare and significant,” Admiral Tripathi noted.
Over the next 50 days, IOS Sagar will traverse the South-Eastern Indian Ocean Region, strengthening bonds, enhancing interoperability, and deepening mutual understanding among participating nations.
The mission has already completed its Harbor Phase from March 16 to 29, which focused on training and professional exchanges. It is now in its Sea Phase, running from April 2 to May 20, involving operational deployment.
During this period, the ship will make port calls at Colombo, Phuket, Jakarta, Singapore, Chittagong, Yangon, and Malé, before concluding its journey at Kochi.
Taken together, IOS Sagar 2026 signals India’s intent to stay engaged, steady, and collaborative at sea, even as the waters around it grow more uncertain.
