Navy

New Delhi: Indian Naval Ship Trikand, a stealth frigate of the Indian Navy, has departed from Port Victoria, Seychelles, on 20 Mar 2026 on completion of an enriching port call.

Captain Sachin Kulkarni, Commanding Officer of the ship, called on senior Government functionaries and the High Commissioner of India to Seychelles. The ship also handed over critical spares and essential stores to the Government of Seychelles.

INS Trikand participated in the first tri-services edition of Exercise Lamitiye 2026, along with members from the Indian Army and Indian Air Force and the Seychelles Defence Forces (SDF). This marks the maiden participation of the Indian Navy in Exercise Lamitiye.

During the harbour phase, Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS) training was conducted onboard, which also included joint boarding drills. This was followed by the sea phase of the exercise, during which the ship exercised with SCGS Le Vigilant and undertook joint boarding operations at sea by a team comprising of Indian Navy Marine Commandos and Special Forces of SDF.  This was followed by landing of Army troops of the Indian Army and the Seychelles Defence Forces on Praslin Island. Maj Gen Michael Rosette, Chief of Defence Forces, SDF, Brig Jean Attala, Deputy Chief of Defence Forces SDF, along with other senior officers embarked INS Trikand for the sea phase to witness conduct of the exercise.

The exercise provided an opportunity to enhance interoperability and strengthen maritime cooperation between India and Seychelles. Lamitiye, meaning ‘friendship’ in Creole language, reflects the historic ties between the two nations.

The port call reflects India’s vision of MAHASAGAR – Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Region, and reinforces the Indian Navy’s commitment to remain the Preferred Security Partner and First Responder in the Indian Ocean Region.

New Delhi: The Indian Naval Sail Training Ship INS Sudarshini arrived at the historic port of Valletta, Malta on 12 Mar 2026, marking a significant milestone in her landmark transoceanic expedition Lokayan-26. The visit underscores the deep-rooted maritime ties between India and Malta and represents an important leg of the ship’s ambitious 22,000-nautical-mile global voyage. The arrival at Valletta follows a successful transit through the Suez Canal and a recent port call at Alexandria.

On arrival, the Commanding Officer called on Ms. Rachita Bhandari, High Commissioner of India to the Republic of Malta. The interaction highlighted the role played by Indian Navy in strengthening bilateral relationship between the two nations. The High Commissioner noted that the presence of INS Sudarshini in Malta serves as a powerful symbol of the vision of MAHASAGAR, reinforcing maritime cooperation while fostering people-to-people connections.

During the visit, the ship’s crew will engage in professional interactions and courtesy calls with the Armed Forces of Malta, further promoting mutual trust and interoperability. The ship will also host community outreach activities, including a guided “Open Ship” for schoolchildren and members of the Indian diaspora in Malta.

INS Sudarshini is currently in the second month of her voyage, which commenced at Kochi on 20 Jan 2026. Following the visit to Malta, the ship will sail towards the French coast to participate in the Escale à Sète maritime festival, where she will proudly represent India alongside some of the world’s most celebrated tall ships.

New Delhi: INS Trikand concluded her port call at Port Louis, Mauritius on 13 Mar 26. The ship participated in the 58th Mauritius National Day Parade on 12 Mar 26 with a marching contingent, naval band and integral helicopter for the fly-past, at Champ de Mars, Port Louis. This is in keeping with the tradition of Indian warships and aircraft participating in Mauritius National Day celebrations.

During the port call, Captain Sachin Kulkarni, Commanding Officer of the ship, called on Mr Rampersad Sooroojebally, PMSM, Commissioner of Police, and H.E Mr Anurag Srivastava, the High Commissioner of India to Mauritius. The ship also hosted a cultural evening onboard, with Dr. Mahend Gungapersad, Minister of Education and Human Resources of Mauritius, as the Chief Guest. The event was attended by senior ministers and officials from the Government of Mauritius.

The ship also progressed several professional interactions, cultural engagements, sports fixtures and community outreach activities to further strengthen the robust bonds between the two nations. Training capsules were also conducted onboard for Mauritius National Coast Guard personnel on practical aspects of harbour and sea watchkeeping, including firefighting and damage control. The ship was open to visitors on 12 Mar 2026 and hosted over 500 visitors.

On departure from Port Louis, INS Trikand undertook a Passage Exercise (PASSEX) and joint Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) surveillance with CGS Valiant, and thereafter proceeded for the next phase of her planned operational deployment.

The port call reaffirms the longstanding maritime partnership and strengthening bilateral ties between the two countries, aligned with India’s vision of MAHASAGAR – Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions, and reaffirms the strong bilateral ties between India and Mauritius.

New Delhi: Indian Naval Ship Trikand, stealth frigate of the Indian Navy, called at Port Louis,  Mauritius on 10 Mar 2026 during her ongoing operational deployment to the South West Indian Ocean Region.

During the port call, the ship will participate in the 58th Mauritius National Day celebrations on 12 Mar 2026 with a marching contingent, naval band and integral helicopter for the fly-past at the National Day Parade at Champ de Mars, Port Louis. Captain Sachin Kulkarni, Commanding Officer, is also scheduled to call on senior Government and Mauritius Coast Guard functionaries. Training and cultural exchanges, including cross training visits, friendly sports fixtures and community service activities are also scheduled.

The visit is aimed at strengthening maritime cooperation, enhancing operational interoperability and furthering bilateral relations between India and Mauritius.

Shri Sanjay Seth encourages youth to embrace adventure & innovation rooted in civilisational confidence.

New Delhi: Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Sanjay Seth, on March 02, 2026, flagged-in to Naval Dockyard, Mumbai, Indian Naval Sailing Vessel (INSV) Kaundinya, a traditionally constructed stitched sailing vessel of the Indian Navy, which has returned home after the successful completion of her historic maiden overseas voyage to Muscat, Oman. Addressing the gathering, Raksha Rajya Mantri highlighted the national significance of the project, stating that INSV Kaundinya represented the revival of India’s ancient maritime knowledge systems and would serve as an inspiration to the youth of the country. He underscored the courage, resilience, and the spirit of rediscovery reflected by the voyage, encouraging young Indians to embrace adventure and innovation rooted in civilisational confidence.

Speaking on the occasion, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan commended the crew for their extraordinary dedication and professionalism in sailing a traditionally constructed stitched vessel across the Arabian Sea. He underscored the immense hard work involved from conceptualisation and research to design, traditional construction, crew training and execution of the voyage.

Operating a square-sailed, stitched wooden vessel without modern structural reinforcements required exceptional planning, seamanship, teamwork, and endurance, making the successful completion of the expedition a remarkable achievement for the Indian Navy.

As INSV Kaundinya made her ceremonial entry, she was welcomed with a colourful parade of sails and a traditional water arc salute, creating a spectacular and emotionally charged atmosphere in the harbour. The event symbolised both pride in India’s maritime heritage and admiration for the crew’s accomplishment.

Consul General of the Sultanate of Oman Mr Mahboob Issa Alraisi in Mumbai, senior officers, veterans, representatives from Hodi Innovations, eminent members of civil society, members of the maritime community, historians and sailing enthusiasts were present on the occasion.

INSV Kaundinya is a 20-metre, traditionally constructed stitched sailing vessel of the Indian Navy, inspired by a 5th century CE depiction from the Ajanta Caves. Built using ancient Indian shipbuilding techniques in which wooden planks are stitched together with coir rope and sealed with natural resins, the vessel represents a revival of India’s rich maritime heritage. Inducted into the Navy in May 2025 and named after the legendary mariner Kaundinya, she symbolises India’s historic seafaring traditions and civilisational linkages across the Indian Ocean.

New Delhi: Indian Navy’s Sail Training Ship INS Tarangini arrived at Trincomalee Harbour, Sri Lanka on a training visit on 27 Feb 2026. The ship was accorded a warm welcome by representatives of the Eastern Naval Area of the Sri Lanka Navy. The visit follows the ship’s recent participation in the International Fleet Review 2026 conducted at Visakhapatnam.

During the port call, Commanding Officer of Tarangini called on Cmde Haritha Jayadewathe, Deputy Commander of the Eastern Naval Area and held discussions on avenues of cooperation in sail training. The ship hosted Sri Lankan defence personnel, families, and trainee officers for a familiarisation tour onboard. Community engagement activities and training exchanges are planned during the ship’s port call.

Selected trainee officers from the Sri Lankan Naval and Maritime Academy will embark on Tarangini for a passage to Colombo. During the passage, the trainees will be exposed to various facets of sail training.

The visit of INS Tarangini underscores longstanding maritime ties and growing cooperation between the Indian Navy and the Sri Lanka Navy.

New Delhi: The 5th Edition of the Goa Maritime Conclave (GMC-26) was successfully conducted at Naval War College, Goa on 21 Feb 2026, bringing together Chiefs of Navies and senior maritime leaders from 15 Indian Ocean Region nations. The Conclave reaffirmed the collective commitment of regional partners to strengthen cooperative mechanisms aimed at addressing common maritime security challenges in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

Organised by the Indian Navy under the overarching theme of “Common Maritime Security Challenges in the IOR – Progressing Lines of Efforts (LsOE) to Mitigate Dynamic Threats”, GMC-26 underscored India’s continued role as a convenor of structured maritime dialogue and an enabler of collaborative security architecture in the region. Conducted in consonance with the Prime Minister’s vision of ‘ MAHASAGAR – Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions’, the conclave provided a structured platform for deliberations focused on actionable outcomes and collaborative implementation frameworks.

In his Keynote address, Admiral Arun Prakash, (Retd), former Chief of Naval Staff, highlighted that the evolving maritime security environment demands synchronised regional responses anchored in real-time information exchanges, institutionalised coordination mechanisms and sustained capacity development. He emphasised that addressing challenges such as Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, trafficking networks and other transnational maritime crimes requires collective ownership and shared responsibility among IOR nations.

The first session moderated by Vice Admiral G Ashok Kumar, (Retd), former National Maritime Security Coordinator, focused on enhancing mechanisms for real-time exchanges of maritime information and operational coordination to counter IUU fishing, drug trafficking and other illegal maritime activities. The speakers in this session were Rear Admiral TVN Prasanna, of the Indian Navy and Colonel Amanulla Ahmed Rasheed from Maldives. Issues of trans-national significance like strengthening maritime domain awareness networks, interoperability of information-sharing systems and the need for structured institutional linkages to enable rapid and coordinated responses across jurisdictions were highlighted by the speakers.

The second session examined collaborative pathways for capacity building and capability enhancement among maritime agencies of the IOR. Rear Admiral Srinivas Maddula, and Captain (IN) Ranendra S Sawan, Senior Fellow, National Maritime Foundation, shared their insights, with Admiral Karambir Singh, (Retd), former Chief of the Naval Staff and Chairman, National Maritime Foundation, moderating the session. The ensuing deliberations highlighted the importance of pooling regional training resources, expanding professional exchange programmes and strengthening institutional frameworks to ensure long-term maritime resilience. The session reinforced the understanding that sustainable maritime stability in the IOR is contingent upon coordinated capability development and structured cooperation.

New Delhi: INS Sudarshini arrived at the historic port city of Alexandria on 01 March 6, 2026, marking a significant milestone in her ongoing transoceanic expedition, Lokayan-26. The arrival follows the vessel’s northbound transit through the Suez Canal after departing Safaga last week. The three-masted barque’s passage through the 193-kilometre canal – one of the world’s historic maritime gateways linking East and West – served as a major training highlight for the trainees participating in this global voyage.

The entry into Alexandria reinforces the “Bridges of Friendship” initiative, celebrating the enduring maritime partnership between India and Egypt. The two nations share a rich legacy of cultural connections and economic ties spanning several centuries. In recent years, bilateral relations have further strengthened across multiple sectors, including defence and maritime cooperation. The visit of Sudarshini reaffirms India’s commitment to deepening bilateral ties and enhancing cooperation in the maritime domain.

Upon arrival, the ship was received by officials from the Egyptian Navy and the Indian Embassy. The Commanding Officer called on Rear Admiral Mahmoud Abdelsattar, Commander of Alexandria Naval Base. During the port call, the crew will participate in professional exchanges, community outreach, and cultural engagements aimed at fostering mutual goodwill, strengthening interoperability, and enhancing cooperation between the two navies.

New Delhi: The 9th Conclave of Chiefs of the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) convened at Visakhapatnam on 20 Feb 2026, bringing together Chiefs of Navies and Heads of Maritime Security Agencies from 33 countries, representing IONS Members, Observers, and other Indian Ocean littoral nations. Participation spanning from the Atlantic to the Pacific reflected the growing alignment of like-minded navies committed to strengthening maritime cooperation and security in the Indian Ocean Region. In a historic moment for the forum, the Indian Navy assumed the Chairmanship of IONS from the Royal Thai Navy, marking India’s return to the helm after 16 years. Having earlier held the inaugural Chairmanship from 2008 to 2010, India now takes forward the forum that has evolved into a central platform for professional maritime collaboration. Adm Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of the Naval Staff and Chair of IONS, articulated a clear and forward-leaning vision to reinforce the functional relevance of IONS by strengthening its Working Groups on Maritime Security, Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief, and Information Sharing and Interoperability as the principal drivers of cooperation.

Key developments during the Conclave included the launch of the upgraded IONS website, undertaken by the Indian Navy to enhance usability, institutional continuity, and secure engagement among member navies. The Philippines was included as an Observer, and Oman joined the IONS Working Group on HADR, further enhancing the scope of collaborative engagement under IONS and widening forum’s cooperative reach. India also outlined initiatives to be advanced during its tenure, including the conduct of the IONS Maritime Exercise (IMEX), continued deployment of IOS SAGAR to IONS member countries with participation of personnel from IONS navies and maritime security agencies onboard, and structured Maritime Information Sharing Workshops and dialogues aimed at enhancing operational interaction, professional exchange, and capability enhancement. The 9th Conclave marks a renewed phase in the evolution of IONS. As India assumes the Chair, it signals strengthened momentum, expanded engagement, and a deeper collective commitment to maritime stability in the Indian Ocean Region.

New Delhi: The Indian Navy successfully conducted the International Fleet Review (IFR) 2026 off the coast of Visakhapatnam on 18 February 2026, with participation from 74 countries, marking a grand maritime spectacle that showcased global naval cooperation, professional camaraderie and India’s maritime capability. IFR 2026 marked the third International Fleet Review hosted by India, following earlier editions at Mumbai (2001) and Visakhapatnam (2016).

The Hon’ble President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, reviewed the Fleet from INS Sumedha, an indigenously built Offshore Patrol Vessel, which served as the Presidential Yacht for the occasion. INS Sumedha was adorned with the Ashoka Emblem and flew the President’s Standard at the mast.Following a Ceremonial Guard of Honour by a 150-person contingent and a 21-Gun Salute, the Hon’ble President embarked onboard INS Sumedha and sailed past the assembled Fleet of 52 anchored ships off the Visakhapatnam coast.A total of 85 ships, including 19 foreign warships participated in the fleet review, reflecting the scale and diversity of maritime participation.The Indian fleet included 60 ships of the Indian Navy, four Indian Coast Guard vessels, and one ship each from the Shipping Corporation of India and the National Institute of Ocean Technology. The review also featured three Indian Navy submarines, one French Atlantique maritime patrol aircraft, and participation by over 60 aircraft, underscoring the multi-domain operational capability and the coordinated maritime presence on display.

The Hon’ble President also reviewed the Indian Naval Air Arm, marked by a fly-past of helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. This was followed by a mobile column of warships and submarines steaming past the Presidential Yacht. The event further featured maritime and waterfront demonstrations, including a Parade of sails, Search and Rescue operations and aerial manoeuvres by Hawk aircraft.Addressing the occasion, Hon’ble President highlighted, “The spirit of friendship on display today through participation of so many friendly foreign countries highlights the truth that we are collected rather than divided by the seas. India’s approach to international relations, including the maritime domain, is guided by our ethos of ‘Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam’ or ‘the world is one family’. This approach reflects the wisdom that global security, growth, sustainability and stability are built through friendship.” She further remarked, “The review also takes forward India’s vision of MAHASAGAR, which stands for ‘Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions’. The spirit of togetherness is well confirmed in this message of this review- ‘United through Oceans’. It is a positive message to the global community that it is the collective naval strength that can overcome maritime challenges”. The International Fleet Review was also telecast live on Doordarshan television channels (DD National and DD Vijayawada) and was streamed live on the Indian Navy’s official social media platforms- Youtube (@IndianNavyOfficial) and Facebook (@IndianNavy), enabling audiences in India and abroad to witness the proceedings. Recorded broadcast (Re-runs) of the event remain available for viewing on the same channels.The International Fleet Review 2026 reaffirmed.