SINGAPORE, India’s envoy to Singapore said 16 like-minded maritime nations have come together for a “common goal” through the Indian Ocean vessel ‘SAGAR’, sending a strong message of “collective commitment” from our partners.
The Indian Ocean ship “SAGAR” is a unique combat initiative of the Indian Navy with the theme of “One Ocean, One Mission”. It is composed of 38 international crew members from 16 friendly countries. The ship is visiting Southeast Asia to coordinate maritime security and promote peace and stability in coastal areas and high seas.
“IOS SAGAR is a practical and operational expression of the MAHASAGAR vision, which brings together partner countries on a shared platform for training, collaboration and collective preparedness,” Dr Ambule Shilpak, Indian High Commissioner to Singapore, said while welcoming the ship and guests at a special reception on board the ship on Monday evening.
“Despite the complex maritime environment prevalent in the Indo-Pacific, 16 like-minded maritime nations have come together through IOS SAGAR with a strong message of shared purpose and collective commitment of our partners in this initiative to ensure a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific,” he said.
He added that India’s maritime prospects are shaped by a neighborhood-first approach and the Mahasagar Vision (MAHASAGAR) to jointly and holistically advance security and growth across the region.
Shilpack highlighted the changing ocean landscape, which is characterized by growing disputes.
“In this context, addressing maritime challenges such as illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing, piracy and armed robbery at sea, drug and human trafficking, and new competition for critical resources requires a collaborative approach to ensure a free, open and secure Indo-Pacific region,” Shilpack said.
He emphasized that the IOS SAGAR initiative reflects India’s collective vision of “leadership through partnership, strength through unity, and progress through peace.”
This is the first deployment of Indian Navy ships to Southeast Asia under the IOS SAGAR programme.
“The deployment of IOS SAGAR in Southeast Asia this year takes on further significance as we look to 2026 as the year of India-ASEAN maritime cooperation,” he said.
The mission completed the Singapore Port phase from March 16 to 29, 2026, with professional exchanges, training and coordination among participating personnel before departing for continued deployment.
As part of the IOS SAGAR maritime deployment phase, the ongoing deployment across Southeast Asia includes port calls in Male, Phuket and Jakarta before arriving in Singapore.
The ship is also scheduled to make port calls in Yangon, Chittagong and Colombo before completing its deployment in Cochin in mid-May.
Shilpak said that the Indian Ocean Ship SAGAR initiative in general, and this deployment to Southeast Asia in particular, will go a long way in strengthening cooperation in the maritime commons and “help us all work together effectively to jointly address and overcome existing and emerging challenges.”
This article was generated from automated news agency feeds without modifications to the text.
