INDIAN NAVY’S FIRST TRAINING SQUADRON MAKES PORT CALL AT BELAWAN, INDONESIA

1. At a Glance

• First Training Squadron (1TS) of the Indian Navy made a port call at Belawan, Indonesia on 20 Jan 2026 during a Long Range Training Deployment to Southeast Asia [S1][S2].
• Constituents: INS Tir, INS Shardul, INS Sujata and ICGS Sarathi — ships dedicated to officer-cadet sea training [S1].
• Relevant for UPSC under Act East Policy, SAGAR/MAHASAGAR vision, India-ASEAN maritime diplomacy and naval defence cooperation [S3].

2. Why in the News

• 1TS arrived at Belawan (Sumatra), Indonesia on 20 Jan 2026 and was given a ceremonial welcome by the Indonesian Navy (TNI-AL); programme included cross-deck visits, joint training, yoga, sports and community outreach [S1].
• Part of the 110th Integrated Officers' Training Course deployment covering Singapore (15 Jan 26), Indonesia (20 Jan 26) and Thailand (25–28 Jan 26) [S2][S4].

3. Background & Evolution

• First Training Squadron is based at Kochi under Southern Naval Command, the Navy's training hub; conducts sea training for cadets of the Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard and friendly foreign navies [S2].
• Long Range Training Deployments (LRTD) are a recurring feature — earlier 1TS port calls include Mombasa, Kenya (2025), Singapore (Jan 2025 & Jan 2026), Colombo (2021) [S2].
• India-Indonesia naval engagement institutionalised via IND-INDO CORPAT (since 2002, biannual coordinated patrol on the IMBL) and Exercise Samudra Shakti (since 2018) [S3].

4. Core Static Facts

• Squadron name: First Training Squadron (1TS), Indian Navy [S1].
• Ships: INS Tir (lead, training ship), INS Shardul (LST), INS Sujata (offshore patrol vessel), ICGS Sarathi (OPV of Indian Coast Guard) [S1].
• Port: Belawan, North Sumatra, Indonesia — Indonesia's principal port on the Malacca Strait [S1].
• Date: 20 January 2026 [S1].
• Course: 110th Integrated Officers' Training Course trainees on board [S2].
• Implementing body: Indian Navy, Ministry of Defence [S1].
• Policy umbrella: Act East Policy; SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) [S3].

5. Multi-Dimensional Analysis

Geopolitical / Strategic - Belawan sits astride the Malacca Strait, a critical SLOC carrying ~80% of China's oil imports — Indian naval presence signals interest in chokepoint security [S1]. - Reinforces India-Indonesia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (upgraded 2018); Indonesia is a key ASEAN partner under Indo-Pacific outlook [S3]. - Complements Exercise Samudra Shakti (5th edition, Visakhapatnam, 14–17 Oct 2025) with INS Kavaratti and KRI John Lie [S3].

Diplomatic / Soft Power - Cultural diplomacy: traditional dance reception, joint yoga, school visits, sports — leverages cultural affinity (Ramayana, Bali Hindu heritage) [S1].

Administrative / Training - Provides cadets cross-cultural exposure, navigation in tropical waters, and interoperability drills with TNI-AL [S2].

Economic - Belawan handles palm oil and container traffic; secure SLOCs around it underpin India's energy and trade flows with Far East [S1].

6. Recent Developments (last 12-18 months)

• 20 Jan 2026 — 1TS at Belawan, Indonesia [S1].
• 15 Jan 2026 — 1TS arrives Changi Naval Base, Singapore [S2].
• 25–28 Jan 2026 — 1TS at Phuket Deep Sea Port, Thailand; concluded with Passage Exercise (PASSEX) on 28 Jan 26 [S2].
• 14–17 Oct 2025 — Samudra Shakti-2025 (5th edition) hosted at Visakhapatnam with Indonesian Navy [S3].
• 2025 — 1TS port call at Mombasa, Kenya [S2].

7. Prelims Hooks

• 1TS comprises INS Tir (lead training ship), INS Shardul, INS Sujata + ICGS Sarathi [S1].
• First Training Squadron is headquartered at Kochi under Southern Naval Command [S2].
• Belawan port is located in North Sumatra, Indonesia, near the Malacca Strait [S1].
• Trainees on board: 110th Integrated Officers' Training Course [S2].
• Exercise Samudra Shakti is the India-Indonesia bilateral naval exercise, conceived in 2018 under Act East Policy [S3].
• 5th edition of Samudra Shakti held at Visakhapatnam, 14–17 Oct 2025; Indian ship INS Kavaratti (ASW Corvette), Indonesian ship KRI John Lie (Corvette) [S3].
• IND-INDO CORPAT is the India-Indonesia coordinated patrol along the International Maritime Boundary Line (since 2002) [S3].
• ICGS Sarathi belongs to the Indian Coast Guard, not the Navy — under Ministry of Defence since 1978 [S1].
• INS Shardul is a Landing Ship Tank (Large) class vessel [S1].
• 1TS Southeast Asia deployment 2026 covered three ports: Singapore → Belawan → Phuket [S2].
• Phuket visit concluded with a PASSEX with Royal Thai Navy on 28 Jan 2026 [S2].

8. Mains Relevance

• GS-II: India and its neighbourhood; bilateral relations with Indonesia; ASEAN; India's Act East Policy.
• GS-III: Security — Indian Ocean security, SLOCs, role of the Navy.

Plausible stems: 1. "Naval diplomacy has become the cutting edge of India's Act East Policy. Discuss with reference to recent India-Indonesia engagements." (GS-II) 2. "Examine the strategic significance of the Malacca Strait for India and the steps taken to secure its interests." (GS-III) 3. "Training deployments of the Indian Navy serve diplomatic as well as operational ends. Elaborate." (GS-III)

9. Related Topics to Study Next

• Exercise Samudra Shakti — flagship bilateral with Indonesia [S3].
• IND-INDO CORPAT — coordinated patrol regime on IMBL.
• SAGAR / MAHASAGAR doctrine — Indian Ocean vision.
• Act East Policy — political superstructure for these deployments.
• Malacca Dilemma & chokepoints — strategic geography.
• Exercise Komodo & International Fleet Review (Indonesia, 2025) — multilateral context [S3].
• India-ASEAN Maritime Exercise (AIME) — first held 2023.
• Southern Naval Command, Kochi — training architecture of IN.

10. Common Errors / Trap Areas

• ICGS Sarathi is Coast Guard, not Navy — easy confusion in MCQs listing "Indian Navy ships".
• 1TS is based at Kochi, not Visakhapatnam (Eastern Fleet) or Mumbai (Western Fleet).
• Samudra Shakti = India-Indonesia; do not confuse with Samudra Lakshman (India-Malaysia) or Samudra Setu (COVID evacuation op).
• Belawan is in Sumatra (Indonesia), not Malaysia — though it lies on the Malacca Strait.
• Squadron is "First Training Squadron" (1TS) — distinct from the Eastern Fleet or Sail Training Squadron (INS Tarangini etc.).

11. Sources

• [S1] INDIAN NAVY'S FIRST TRAINING SQUADRON MAKES PORT CALL AT BELAWAN, INDONESIA — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2216606 — (tier: 1)
• [S2] LONG RANGE TRAINING DEPLOYMENT OF INDIAN NAVY'S FIRST TRAINING SQUADRON (1TS) TO SOUTH EAST ASIA / Changi & Phuket releases — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2212110 ; https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2215591 ; https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2220316 — (tier: 1)
• [S3] INDIAN NAVY HOSTS FIFTH EDITION OF BILATERAL EXERCISE 'SAMUDRA SHAKTI' – 2025 — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2179326 — (tier: 1)
• [S4] FIRST TRAINING SQUADRON OF INDIAN NAVY STRENGTHENS MARITIME BONDS AT INDONESIA — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2218410 — (tier: 1)