COVER STORY

New Delhi: INS Nireekshak, the Diving Support and Submarine Rescue Vessel of Indian Navy, arrived at the port of Colombo, Sri Lanka, on 21 Apr 2026 to participate in the 4th edition of IN-SLN DIVEX 2026, a bilateral diving exercise scheduled from 21-27 Apr 2026.

The joint exercise will see diving teams from both the Navies undertake a series of specialised diving operations and training aimed at enhancing interoperability, cohesion, and exchange of Best Practices. The week-long engagement reinforces the continued commitment towards strengthening Indo-Sri Lankan maritime ties and shared maritime interests.

On arrival, the ship was accorded a ceremonial welcome by the Sri Lanka Navy in the presence of the Naval band. The Commanding Officer of INS Nireekshak, Cdr Sailesh Tyagi, called on RAdm SJ Kumara, Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Area, and held discussions on matters of mutual interest. In addition to professional engagements, the visit will also feature social interactions, sports fixtures, and joint yoga sessions – fostering deeper bonds of friendship, goodwill, and camaraderie between the two navies.

As part of India’s humanitarian outreach, the ship will be presenting two BHISM (Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog Hita & Maitri) cubes to the Sri Lankan authorities under the Government of India’s ‘Aarogya Maitri’ initiative. These state-of-the-art portable medical units capable of handling up to 200 emergency cases are designed to provide rapid response and are equipped with essential medicines and surgical tools for basic procedures. Further strengthening maritime security cooperation, Indian Navy will also hand over 50,000 rounds of 9 mm ammunition to the Sri Lankan Navy.

The IN-SLN Diving Exercise (DIVEX) is a key bilateral engagement that stands as a testament to the deep-rooted maritime partnership between India and Sri Lanka. Sustained maritime collaboration and engagements with partner nations reaffirm the shared commitment to fostering stability, cooperation, and collective growth in the Indian Ocean Region, in line with the vision of MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions.

New Delhi: Indian Ocean Ship (IOS) SAGAR arrived at Phuket, Thailand, on 14 Apr 2026 on completion of a six-day transit from Malé, Maldives, marking the second port call of its ongoing mission.

The IOS SAGAR-INS Sunayna, with a multinational crew from 16 Friendly Foreign Countries (FFCs), is on deployment to the Indian Ocean Region, reinforcing the vision of MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions). The current edition of IOS SAGAR, which commenced in Mar 2026, also reflects India’s leadership role as Chair of the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS).

During the port call at Phuket, IOS SAGAR is scheduled to engage in professional interactions with the Royal Thai Navy (RTN), aimed at strengthening bilateral defence cooperation and enhancing mutual understanding. A range of social, cultural and sporting engagements are also planned to foster camaraderie and people-to-people connect.

The ship’s stay coincides with the Songkran festival, the traditional Thai New Year, providing an opportunity for strengthening cultural exchanges amongst the participating navies.

During the transit from Malé, the international crew undertook structured training activities at sea, including seamanship evolutions and operational drills, aimed at enhancing collective readiness, interoperability and maritime cooperation. The deployment underscores the Indian Navy’s continued commitment to strengthening maritime partnerships and capacity building, thereby contributing to regional security and stability.

IOS SAGAR was flagged off from Mumbai on 02 April 2026 by Hon’ble Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Sanjay Seth. As part of this mission, the Indian Navy crew along with 38 personnel from 16 Friendly Foreign Countries onboard IOS SAGAR will undertake port calls at Male, Phuket, Jakarta, Singapore, Yangon, Chittagong and Colombo.

The initiative embodies the vision of ‘One Ocean, One Mission’, fostering deeper engagement and cooperation among maritime partners.