The Indian Navy is steadily expanding its training and outreach across the Indian Ocean Region, positioning itself as a stabilising force through a blend of operational deployments, multinational cooperation, and cultural diplomacy.
Its recent initiatives underscore India’s intent to reinforce its role as a preferred security partner amid intensifying strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific.
Training programs under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation and Self Aided Programme have allocated hundreds of naval training slots to regional neighbours for 2024–25. Mauritius received 78 slots, while Sri Lanka was offered 311, reflecting the sustained demand for Indian maritime expertise.
Over the past nine years, India has trained 516 officers of the Mauritius National Coast Guard, highlighting the long-term nature of this capacity-building effort and its contribution to regional resilience.
Operational diplomacy has also been advanced through port calls. INS Sunayna’s arrival in Jakarta marked the third stop in its current deployment under the IOS SAGAR initiative, carrying a multinational crew from 16 countries.
The visit included professional exchanges, joint yoga sessions, and a planned Passage Exercise with the Indonesian Navy to enhance tactical coordination. These engagements blend readiness with relationship-building, strengthening India’s operational footprint across the Indian Ocean.
India’s naval outreach has extended from Mauritius to Morocco, reflecting a wide geographical spread of engagements. In Mauritius, Indian naval personnel participated in training drills during the country’s Independence Day celebrations, reinforcing bilateral ties.
Meanwhile, INS Sudarshini’s visit to Casablanca under Lokayan 26 featured joint training with Moroccan cadets, sports fixtures, and diplomatic receptions. Such activities illustrate a broader pattern of naval diplomacy that combines skill-sharing with cultural goodwill, projecting India’s soft power alongside its maritime capabilities.
Strategically, India’s training-led outreach offers a non-coercive alternative to the transactional engagements of external powers. This reinforces its image as a ‘force for good’ in the region.
Looking ahead, two plausible futures emerge: one where India consolidates a leadership role in Indian Ocean maritime security through sustained multilateral cooperation, and another where external pressures and competing influences compel it into more competitive posturing.
Both trajectories will significantly shape the balance of power and maritime governance in the Indo-Pacific.
Agencies
