INDIAN NAVAL SHIP TRIKAND CONCLUDES PORT CALL AT PORT VICTORIA, SEYCHELLES

1. At a Glance

• INS Trikand, a stealth frigate of the Indian Navy, concluded a port call at Port Victoria, Seychelles, departing on 20 March 2026 after participating in the first tri-services edition of Exercise Lamitiye 2026 [S1].
• Marks the maiden participation of the Indian Navy in Ex Lamitiye, hitherto a bilateral Army-to-Army drill since 2001 [S1][S2].
• Reflects India's SAGAR / MAHASAGAR outreach to Western Indian Ocean island states and growing defence diplomacy with Seychelles, a key node of the IOR security architecture [S5].

2. Why in the News

• INS Trikand departed Port Victoria on 20 Mar 2026 after delivering critical spares and essential stores to the Government of Seychelles; CO Capt. Sachin Kulkarni called on senior Seychelles functionaries and the Indian High Commissioner [S1].
• The visit was synchronised with Exercise Lamitiye 2026 (09–20 March 2026) at the Seychelles Defence Academy — upgraded for the first time to a tri-services (Army + Navy + IAF) format with the Seychelles Defence Forces (SDF) [S1][S2].
• Activities included Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS) drills during the harbour phase [S1].

3. Background & Evolution

• Exercise Lamitiye ("Friendship" in Seychellois Creole) — biennial India-Seychelles joint military exercise conducted in Seychelles since 2001 [S4][S7].
• 9th edition held 22–31 Mar 2022; 10th edition 18–27 Mar 2024 (Gorkha Rifles, 45 personnel each side) [S4].
• 11th edition / 2026: 09–20 March 2026 at Seychelles Defence Academy; first tri-services format [S2].
• INS Trikand commissioned 29 June 2011 at Kaliningrad, Russia — third of the follow-on Talwar-class (Teg-class) Project 11356 frigates built at Yantar Shipyard [S1].

4. Core Static Facts

• Ship: INS Trikand — stealth frigate, Western Naval Command [S1].
• Class: Teg-class (follow-on Talwar/Project 11356); Russian-built at Yantar, Kaliningrad [context S1].
• CO: Captain Sachin Kulkarni [S1].
• Host port: Port Victoria, Seychelles [S1].
• Exercise: Lamitiye 2026 — 09–20 March 2026; venue: Seychelles Defence Academy [S2].
• Participants: Indian Army, Indian Navy (INS Trikand), Indian Air Force + Seychelles Defence Forces (SDF) [S1].
• Aim: Interoperability in sub-conventional operations in semi-urban environment under Chapter VII UN Charter (Peacekeeping) [S4].
• Implementing ministry: Ministry of Defence, Government of India [S1].
• Trikand had earlier called at Port Louis, Mauritius (10 Mar 2026) during the same South West Indian Ocean deployment [S3].

5. Multi-Dimensional Analysis

Geopolitical / Strategic - Seychelles sits astride SLOCs of the Western Indian Ocean; India's outreach counters expanding Chinese PLAN presence in the IOR [S5]. - Tri-services Lamitiye signals doctrinal shift toward integrated theatre engagement with partner militaries [S1]. - Complements India's SAGAR vision (2015) and the new MAHASAGAR framework (2025) — Mutual & Holistic Advancement for Security Across Regions [S5].

Administrative / Defence Diplomacy - Capacity-building via handover of spares and stores to SDF — recurring pattern with Indian-supplied platforms (e.g., Dornier, CGS Zoroaster/INS Tarmugli-class gift) [S5]. - Embedded in India's role as net security provider in the IOR [S5].

Historical - India-Seychelles defence cooperation under the 1979 Defence Cooperation Agreement; Lamitiye since 2001 [S4][S5]. - INS Trikand has had a high-tempo 2025-26: Ex Bright Star 2025 (Egypt, Sep 2025), medical assistance in Central Arabian Sea, port calls Alexandria, Port Louis, Port Victoria [S3].

Scientific / Technological - Project 11356 frigates carry BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, Shtil-1 SAM, Klub-N systems — showcase of Indo-Russian co-development [S1 context].

6. Recent Developments (last 12-18 months)

• 10 Mar 2026 — INS Trikand port call at Port Louis, Mauritius [S3].
• 09–20 Mar 2026 — Ex Lamitiye 2026 (first tri-services edition) [S2].
• 20 Mar 2026 — INS Trikand departs Port Victoria [S1].
• Apr 2025 — Inaugural AIKEYME (Africa India Key Maritime Engagement) exercise launched [S6].
• Sep 2025 — INS Trikand at Alexandria, Egypt for Ex Bright Star 2025 [context S].
• 18–27 Mar 2024 — Lamitiye 2024 (10th edition), Gorkha Rifles [S4].

7. Prelims Hooks

• "Lamitiye" means "Friendship" in Creole [S4].
• Lamitiye is conducted at the Seychelles Defence Academy [S2].
• Exercise inaugurated in 2001; biennial cadence [S4].
• 2026 edition = 11th, first tri-services edition; Navy's debut [S1][S2].
• INS Trikand is a Teg-class (follow-on Talwar / Project 11356) stealth frigate [S1].
• Built at Yantar Shipyard, Kaliningrad; commissioned 29 June 2011 [S1].
• VBSS = Visit, Board, Search and Seizure — practised in harbour phase [S1].
• Lamitiye aim aligned with Chapter VII of UN Charter (Peace Enforcement) [S4].
• Indian Navy partner force: Seychelles Defence Forces (SDF) [S1].
• India's IOR doctrine: SAGAR (2015) evolving to MAHASAGAR [S5].
• AIKEYME 2025 — first Africa-India multilateral maritime exercise [S6].

8. Mains Relevance

• GS Paper II — India and its Neighbourhood; bilateral groupings; India-Seychelles relations.
• GS Paper III — Security; role of external state actors; India's defence diplomacy in IOR.
• Probable stems: 1. "Examine how joint exercises like Lamitiye operationalise India's SAGAR vision in the Western Indian Ocean." 2. "Critically assess the strategic significance of Seychelles in India's Indian Ocean Region policy." 3. "Tri-services jointness in foreign exercises reflects India's evolving theaterisation. Discuss."

9. Related Topics to Study Next

• SAGAR / MAHASAGAR doctrine — overarching IOR policy frame.
• AIKEYME 2025 — first India-Africa multilateral naval exercise [S6].
• IFC-IOR (Gurugram) — Indian Navy's maritime domain awareness hub.
• Colombo Security Conclave — India, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Mauritius (+ Seychelles observer).
• Project 11356 / BrahMos — Indo-Russian frigate programme.
• Theatre Commands & jointness reforms — context for "tri-services" exercises.
• Assumption Island — past India-Seychelles base discussion.
• Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) — India became observer 2020.

10. Common Errors / Trap Areas

• Lamitiye is bilateral with Seychelles, NOT multilateral; do not confuse with AIKEYME (Africa-wide) or Cutlass Express (US AFRICOM-led) [S1][S6].
• 2026 is Navy's maiden participation; the exercise itself dates to 2001 — don't conflate [S1][S4].
• INS Trikand is Teg-class (follow-on Talwar), not the original Talwar-class trio; sometimes loosely called Talwar-class [context].
• Venue is Seychelles Defence Academy, not "Port Victoria Naval Base."
• "Lamitiye" is Creole for Friendship, not French (similar but distinct).

11. Sources

• [S1] INDIAN NAVAL SHIP TRIKAND CONCLUDES PORT CALL AT PORT VICTORIA, SEYCHELLES — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2243504 — (tier 1)
• [S2] INDIAN CONTINGENT DEPARTS FOR SEYCHELLES FOR JOINT MILITARY "EXERCISE LAMITIYE – 2026" — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=2236791 — (tier 1)
• [S3] INDIAN NAVAL SHIP TRIKAND AT PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2238452 — (tier 1)
• [S4] INDIAN ARMY CONTINGENT DEPARTS FOR SEYCHELLES FOR EXERCISE LAMITIYE – 2024 — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2015283 — (tier 1)
• [S5] India-Seychelles Bilateral Relations (MEA brief) — https://www.mea.gov.in/Portal/ForeignRelation/India-Seychelles-Bilateral-27.8.2024.pdf — (tier 1)
• [S6] AIKEYME 2025 INAUGURATION — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2121521 — (tier 1)
• [S7] India-Seychelles Joint Military Exercise Lamitiye Concludes — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1811841 — (tier 1)