How do multilateral naval exercises with Global South partners strengthen India's role as a preferred security partner in the IOR?

A "preferred security partner" is a country whose navy smaller littoral states trust for training, help in a crisis and joint patrols. In October 2026, INS Tarkash sailed for IBSAMAR IX with Brazil and South Africa under the theme "Stronger Together Towards a Shared Future in the Maritime Domain" [1]. This shows how exercises with Global South partners turn India's SAGAR/MAHASAGAR vision into practice.

1. Operational interoperability

• IBSAMAR includes anti-submarine warfare (in 2026, with a South African submarine), VBSS (Visit Board Search and Seizure), anti-piracy and SAR drills [1]. Navies that train together can act together in a crisis.
• India also sends specialised assets. At IBSAMAR VII (2022) it deployed a Chetak helicopter and MARCOS commandos [2].

2. Credibility against non-traditional threats

• Exercises are backed by real operations at sea. 127 Indian Navy ships have been deployed to the Gulf of Aden since 2008 [3].
• The anti-piracy drills rest on UNCLOS Article 105 and India's Maritime Anti-Piracy Act, 2022. This shows India acts within a rules-based order.

3. Capacity-building and inclusivity

• AIKEYME 2025, co-hosted with Tanzania, and IOS SAGAR, where an Indian ship sailed with crew from partner IOR nations, make partners co-owners of security rather than just recipients [4].
• Smaller states gain training and confidence without joining a great-power bloc.

4. Strategic and diplomatic value

• South–South formats like IBSA (three democracies, with neither China nor Russia) show multi-alignment alongside Quad-linked exercises like Malabar.
• Exercises off South Africa cover the Cape route junction, which matters more since disruption in the Red Sea.

Limitations

• The exercises are episodic. IBSAMAR VIII lasted only seven days and India sent one frigate [3].
• Political backing is thin: no standalone IBSA summit has been held since 2011 [5].

Multilateral exercises with Global South partners turn India's maritime capability into trust and shared ownership of security. To build on this, India should hold exercises regularly, share maritime-awareness data between editions and bring back a standalone IBSA summit. That would make India's role as a preferred, rules-based security partner, as set out in its SAGAR/MAHASAGAR vision, permanent.