"A free, open and rules-based maritime order is central to India's Indo-Pacific strategy." Discuss in light of the transition from SAGAR to MAHASAGAR.

With nearly 95% of its trade by volume moving by sea [3], India has a direct stake in open sea lanes. As a State Party to UNCLOS 1982, it backs freedom of navigation, overflight and unimpeded commerce [2]. The shift from SAGAR to MAHASAGAR turns this stance into a wider partnership framework.

Why a rules-based order is central

• Economic lifeline: sea routes also carry about 70% of trade by value [3]; any disruption raises costs.
• Legal anchor: India seeks an order "rooted in international law and undaunted by coercion" [2].
• Strategic signal: no nation, "how-so-ever big", may appropriate the global commons [5]. This is a check on coercion in contested waters.
• Voice of smaller states: at the 3rd Sagarmanthan, the PM sought an order built on cooperation, trust and mutual respect [1].

SAGAR to MAHASAGAR: what changed

• SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) centred on the IOR through mission-based naval deployments [2].
• MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) was announced in Mauritius in March 2025. It widens the scope from one region to many and stresses mutual benefit [4].
• Operational form: INS Sunayna sailed as IOS SAGAR with 44 personnel from nine IOR nations [6]. This supports the Navy's aim to be the "Preferred Security Partner" and "First Responder" [4].
• Institutional form: the Goa Maritime Conclave 2026 brought 15 IOR navies together on real-time information sharing against IUU fishing and drug trafficking [7].

Limits to address

• Talk vs rules: forums like Sagarmanthan build consensus but create no binding commitments [1].
• Capacity gap: India's own fleet lags its trade; the ₹69,725 crore shipbuilding package aims to close this gap [3].
• Credibility: partners will judge India by steady deployments and respect for UNCLOS, not by speeches.

MAHASAGAR thus gives India's rules-based stance wider reach and practical tools. Going forward, India should back its diplomacy with shipbuilding, shared maritime domain awareness and consistent UNCLOS compliance. This would anchor a free and open Indo-Pacific, advance SDG 14 and realise the PM's vision that "every country has a voice" [1].