INS Sunayna, an offshore patrol vessel of the Indian Navy, arrived at Nacala Port in Mozambique on April 17, 2025, as part of the Indian Ocean Ship (IOS) SAGAR mission, marking a significant step in India's ongoing maritime outreach to Africa.

This deployment is closely tied to the broader SAGAR initiative—Security and Growth for All in the Region—launched by the Government of India to foster maritime collaboration, capacity building, and regional security among Indian Ocean littoral states.

The visit to Mozambique follows INS Sunayna’s participation in the inaugural Africa-India Key Maritime Engagement (AIKEYME 25) exercise in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, which brought together naval personnel from India and ten African nations, including Mozambique, to enhance interoperability and address shared maritime security challenges such as piracy, illegal trafficking, and unregulated fishing.

The AIKEYME exercise featured both harbour and sea phases, focusing on table top discussions, command post exercises, seamanship, and Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure (VBSS) operations, as well as search and rescue drills.

During its port call in Nacala, INS Sunayna will conduct a range of collaborative activities with the Mozambique Navy. These include joint training in VBSS drills, firefighting, and damage control, as well as community outreach programs such as yoga sessions, ship visits for the Indian diaspora and local school children, interschool maritime awareness quizzes, and guided tours for military cadets.

A deck reception is also planned to foster goodwill and maritime friendship between the two navies. Upon completion of the port visit, Mozambican naval personnel will embark on INS Sunayna for joint surveillance of Mozambique’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), further strengthening operational synergy and reaffirming the shared commitment to maritime security in the region.

The mission also involves a multinational crew, with 44 naval personnel from nine friendly foreign nations—including Comoros, Kenya, Mozambique, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, and South Africa—embarked on INS Sunayna. This reflects India’s intent to build lasting partnerships and enhance mutual trust with African maritime forces, especially as China’s influence in the region grows.

INS Sunayna’s deployment and the SAGAR mission underscore India’s role as a preferred security partner and first responder in the Indian Ocean Region. The initiative not only boosts bilateral ties with Mozambique but also contributes to collective regional security, capacity building, and humanitarian outreach, in line with India’s vision of inclusive growth and stability for all Indian Ocean nations.

ANI