·PIB·15 marks·250–350 words

Capacity building and training have become key instruments of India's role as a 'Preferred Security Partner' in the Indian Ocean Region. Examine with examples.

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In this answer
  1. Why training has become a key instrument
  2. Examples
  3. Limitations
  4. Way forward

India's maritime outreach has moved beyond sending warships to building partnerships. The Indian Navy calls itself the 'First Responder' and 'Preferred Security Partner' in the IOR [1]. Training smaller coastal navies is now central to that claim. India's first command of the Combined Maritime Forces' (CMF) training task force, CTF 154, shows this shift [2].

Why training has become a key instrument

  • Low cost, high trust: it builds goodwill with island and coastal states that have little naval capacity, without needing bases or alliances.
  • Shared threats: piracy, narcotics and armed robbery at sea can only be countered if partners can detect and stop them.
  • Strategic autonomy: India led a training task force while running its Red Sea and Gulf of Aden response on its own, as Op Sankalp [1][2].

Examples

  • CTF 154 (Feb–Oct 2026): over 7,800 training hours for personnel from 39 countries, including the first piracy-focused expert exchange, SPAR 2026 [2].
  • Operation Southern Readiness 26-2, Kochi: 276 personnel from 27 countries trained in maritime domain awareness, maritime law and counter-narcotics [3].
  • IFC-IOR, Gurugram: India's information-sharing hub hosts a recurring Maritime Information Sharing Workshop for partner nations [4].
  • INS Sunayna (2022): the first Indian Navy ship to take part in a CMF capacity-building exercise, held in Seychelles [5].
  • Credibility from operations: in Op Sankalp's first 100 days, the Navy says it responded to 18 incidents and saved over 110 lives [1]. India trains others in what it has done itself.

Limitations

  • Inputs, not outcomes: official figures count hours and participants, not whether partner navies perform better at sea.
  • Short, rotating command: India's tenure lasted about eight months, so contacts may fade [2].
  • US-led framework: the CMF commander also heads US Naval Forces Central Command [6], which can make India look aligned with a bloc.

Way forward

  • Link CTF 154 trainees to IFC-IOR liaison networks.
  • Turn SPAR and Southern Readiness into annual events hosted by India.

Capacity building turns India's operational experience into lasting partnerships, so India is a security provider that partners invite rather than one that merely deploys ships. If these links outlast rotating commands and their impact is measured, they will strengthen SAGAR/MAHASAGAR and a free, open, rules-based Indian Ocean.

Sources

  1. 1Indian Navy's Ongoing Maritime Security Operations ('Op Sankalp') 14 Dec 23 to 23 Mar 24 — PIB'Preferred Security Partner' framing; 18 incidents, 110+ lives saved; Op Sankalp as an Indian operation
  2. 2Indian Navy to hand over Command of Combined Task Force 154 — PIB, 14 Oct 2026first CMF task force command; 7,800+ hours, 39 countries, SPAR 2026; tenure dates
  3. 3Operation Southern Readiness 26-2 concludes at Southern Naval Command, Kochi — PIB276 personnel, 27 countries, training topics
  4. 4Maritime Information Sharing Workshop 2025 — PIBIFC-IOR's recurring information-sharing workshop
  5. 5INS Sunayna participates in CMF Exercise at Seychelles — PIBfirst Indian ship in a CMF capacity-building exercise
  6. 6Indian Navy assumes command of Combined Task Force 154 — All India Radio NewsCTF 154's training role; CMF commander is also Commander, US NAVCENT

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