12 May 2026·PIB

IOS SAGAR DEPARTS CHATTOGRAM AFTER SUCCESSFUL PORT CALL IN BANGLADESH

In this note

1. At a Glance

IOS SAGAR = Indian Ocean Ship SAGAR, a maiden Indian Navy operational outreach where a single naval platform (INS Sunayna) sails with multinational crews from Indian Ocean Region (IOR) navies [1][3].
It is the operational expression of India's new MAHASAGAR vision (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security Across the Regions), itself an evolution of the 2015 SAGAR doctrine [4].
UPSC relevance: maps to India's Indo-Pacific / IOR strategy, naval diplomacy, and bilateral ties with Bangladesh [1].

On 10 May 2026, INS Sunayna (deployed as IOS SAGAR) departed Chattogram, Bangladesh after a port call featuring engagements with the Bangladesh Navy (BN) [1].
The Commanding Officer called on Commander BN Fleet (COMBAN) and Commander Chattogram Naval Area (COMCHIT); ship then sailed enroute to Colombo, Sri Lanka [1].
Deployment culminated with flag-in at Kochi on 20 May 2026, completing a multinational IOR tour [3].

2015: PM Modi articulated SAGAR (Security And Growth for All in the Region) at Mauritius — India's IOR doctrine [4].
2023: MAHASAGAR virtual outreach between maritime heads began, bi-annual [4].
March 2025: PM announced expanded MAHASAGAR framework at Mauritius [4].
05 April 2025: Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh flagged off INS Sunayna as IOS SAGAR from Karwar, Karnataka, with 44 personnel from 9 IOR nations [2].
08 May 2025: First IOS SAGAR deployment concluded at Kochi after SW-IOR voyage [4].
2026 deployment: Expanded to 38 personnel from 16 partner nations, including Bangladesh [3].

Platform: INS Sunayna — Indian Navy Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) [2].
Initiating Ministry: Ministry of Defence, executed by Indian Navy [1].
Parent vision: SAGAR (2015) → MAHASAGAR (2025) [4].
Sister initiative: AIKEYME — Africa India Key Maritime Engagement (exercise) [5].
First port call (2025 deployment): Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania [6].
2026 partner nations (16): Bangladesh, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia, Mauritius, Maldives, Mozambique, Myanmar, Seychelles, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor Leste, UAE [3].
2025 partner nations (9): Comoros, Kenya, Madagascar, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Tanzania [2].
Flag-off port: Karwar (Karnataka) — base of Project Seabird [2].
Return port: Kochi (Southern Naval Command) [3].

Geopolitical / Strategic

Reinforces India as Net Security Provider in the IOR amid Chinese PLA-N forays (string-of-pearls) [4].
Chattogram call signals defence diplomacy reset with Bangladesh post political transition; complements existing Indo-Bangla naval exercises [1].
Joint crewing builds interoperability without formal alliance — Indian variant of "minilateralism" [2].

Administrative / Operational

A single OPV substitutes for multiple bilateral exchanges — cost-efficient capacity-building [2].
Indian Navy acts as training provider for smaller IOR navies — soft-power projection [3].

Historical

Builds on tradition from IFR-2016 Visakhapatnam, MILAN exercises, and First Training Squadron overseas deployments [4].

Economic (Blue Economy)

Indirect support to SAGARMALA, port-led development, and Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) pillars [4].

05 Apr 2025: Flag-off of maiden IOS SAGAR from Karwar [2].
May 2025: Port calls at Dar-es-Salaam, Mozambique (Nacala/Maputo); return Kochi 08 May 2025 [6][4].
Mar 2025: PM unveils MAHASAGAR at Mauritius [4].
2026 cycle: Port calls at Male (Maldives), Jakarta (Indonesia), Chattogram (Bangladesh, 10 May 2026), Colombo [1].
20 May 2026: INS Sunayna flag-in at Kochi, deployment concluded [3].

IOS SAGAR full form: Indian Ocean Ship — Security And Growth for All in the Region [2].
Ship deployed: INS Sunayna, an Offshore Patrol Vessel [2].
Flagged off by Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh from Karwar on 05 April 2025 [2].
Maiden deployment crewed by personnel of 9 IOR nations; 44 foreign personnel [2].
2026 deployment: 16 partner nations, 38 personnel [3].
IOS SAGAR is the operational arm of MAHASAGAR vision [4].
MAHASAGAR = Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security Across the Regions; announced from Mauritius, March 2025 [4].
Sister Africa-focused initiative: AIKEYME (Africa India Key Maritime Engagement) [5].
First foreign port call (2025): Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania [6].
Chattogram visit: COs called on COMBAN and COMCHIT of Bangladesh Navy [1].
Implementing arm: Indian Navy under Ministry of Defence (not MEA) [1].
Return base: Kochi (Southern Naval Command) [3].

GS-II: India and its Neighbourhood; Bilateral groupings involving India — India-Bangladesh maritime cooperation.
GS-III: Security challenges in maritime domain; Role of Navy.
Possible stems: 1. "IOS SAGAR represents a paradigm shift from bilateral naval diplomacy to multilateral capacity-building in the IOR. Discuss." 2. "Evaluate the evolution of India's maritime doctrine from SAGAR (2015) to MAHASAGAR (2025)." 3. "Examine the strategic significance of Chattogram in India-Bangladesh maritime relations."

SAGAR doctrine (2015) — parent vision [4].
MAHASAGAR — virtual maritime heads outreach [4].
AIKEYME exercise — Africa-India maritime engagement [5].
MILAN, MALABAR, IBSAMAR — naval exercises in IOR.
Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) — 7-pillar Indo-Pacific architecture.
Project Seabird, Karwar — base infrastructure underpinning deployments.
Colombo Security Conclave — sub-regional maritime grouping (India-SL-Maldives-Mauritius).
IORA — Indian Ocean Rim Association.

Confusing SAGAR (doctrine) with IOS SAGAR (ship deployment) and SAGARMALA (ports scheme) — three distinct items.
Assuming MEA runs it — it is MoD/Indian Navy led [1].
INS Sunayna is an OPV, not a frigate or destroyer [2].
Number of partner nations changed: 9 in 2025 → 16 in 2026 [2][3].
MAHASAGAR ≠ just "big SAGAR" — it is a formal framework announced from Mauritius, March 2025 [4].