The First Training Squadron (1TS) of the Indian Navy, comprising INS Tir, INS Shardul, and the Coast Guard Ship (CGS) Sarathi, arrived at Port Victoria, Seychelles, on September 1, 2025, as part of its ongoing long-range training deployment in the south-western Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

This visit marks the third port call by Indian naval ships to Seychelles in 2025, underscoring the depth and consistency of India–Seychelles maritime engagement. The deployment of the First Training Squadron serves a dual purpose: it provides practical seamanship and operational exposure to naval cadets while simultaneously acting as a significant instrument of maritime diplomacy and regional outreach in the strategically important IOR.

The arrival of the ships in Port Victoria was welcomed with a ceremonial reception led by the Seychelles Defence Force (SDF) band, reflecting the strong sense of camaraderie and trust between the Indian Navy and the defence forces of Seychelles.

Such ceremonial exchanges not only highlight the military-to-military connection but also shape broader ties of cultural appreciation and goodwill. The warm reception is consistent with the trajectory of India–Seychelles defence relations, where frequent high-level exchanges, joint exercises, hydrographic cooperation, and capacity-building initiatives have been longstanding pillars of bilateral engagement.

The First Training Squadron deployment is part of India’s broader strategic vision encapsulated in MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions), a doctrine that emphasizes cooperative security, shared growth, and sustained maritime partnerships in the Indian Ocean.

This framework aligns with India’s role as a net security provider in the region, ensuring the freedom of navigation, rule-based maritime order, and capacity enhancement of friendly foreign countries. The visit to Seychelles signifies not just routine naval diplomacy but also the growing synergy between India’s training-oriented deployment model and Seychelles’ critical position astride crucial sea lanes in the western Indian Ocean.

Operationally, the 1TS visit has specific significance for the training and professional growth of young naval cadets. The ships provide a live environment where midshipmen and cadet trainees acquire hands-on experience in navigation, seamanship, communication protocols, and fleet maneuvering.

At the same time, through joint interactions with the Seychelles Defence Force, the training deployment reinforces interoperability and fosters cross-learning opportunities, particularly in the domain of coastal defence, maritime domain awareness, and humanitarian assistance protocols. Such engagements broaden the operational confidence of trainees while also projecting India’s soft power in the Indo-Pacific region.

On the diplomatic plane, the recurring presence of Indian naval platforms in Seychelles is also a reiteration of the two nations’ mutual priorities in combating piracy, illegal fishing, trafficking, and other transnational maritime security challenges.

India’s support to Seychelles in terms of hydrography, patrol vessel donations, training of defence personnel, and coastal radar station development has already cemented its status as a reliable partner. The 1TS port call only reinforces these collaborations by adding a dynamic people-to-people and youth-oriented training angle to the already robust defence cooperation matrix.

In conclusion, the official visit of INS Tir, INS Shardul, and CGS Sarathi to Seychelles is both symbolic and substantive. It illustrates India’s strategic commitment to weaving together maritime partnerships within the broad canopy of the MAHASAGAR vision while enabling the next generation of naval officers to grow into competent professionals with an appreciation for regional diplomacy.

For Seychelles, the visit underscores the benefits of its enduring defence partnership with India, centred on security, training, and shared prosperity of the wider Indian Ocean Region. The deployment of the First Training Squadron thus strengthens the bridges of friendship, promotes naval professionalism, and contributes to the collective vision of peace, stability, and growth in the IOR.

Based On PTI Report