The Indian Navy is conducting advanced training for 44 personnel from nine Friendly Foreign Countries (FFCs) under the Indian Ocean Ship (IOS) Sagar initiative.

Participants from Comoros, Kenya, Madagascar, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, and Tanzania are undergoing professional training at naval schools in Kochi and aboard the offshore patrol vessel INS Sunayna, renamed IOS Sagar for this mission.

This initiative aims to strengthen maritime cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and reinforce India's role as a preferred security partner.

The training includes whole-ship activities, watchkeeping duties, and specialized naval operations under the Indian Navy Workup Team (INWT). Kenyan Navy Major O Olang expressed satisfaction with the training quality and noted similarities between Kochi and Kenya's Mombasa. Mauritius Coast Guard Inspector SKC Rambhojun highlighted the mission's importance in enhancing maritime partnerships.

The IOS Sagar mission is aligned with India's SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) vision and MAHASAGAR policy announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It precedes the maiden Africa India Key Maritime Engagement (AIKEYME) exercise scheduled for April off Tanzania's coast. AIKEYME will involve ten African nations and focus on piracy countermeasures, search-and-rescue operations, and interoperability enhancement through its Harbour and Sea phases.

PTI