Over the past week, India’s naval diplomacy has unfolded with unusual intensity across the Indian Ocean Region—but the momentum behind these engagements has been years in the making. What appears as a rapid sequence of port calls, economic packages, and high-level visits is in fact the visible crest of a long-running effort built on humanitarian relief missions, capacity-building initiatives, and steady security cooperation. From Oman’s western shores to the scattered isles of Seychelles, India is now reaping the strategic dividends of patient, persistent maritime outreach—positioning itself as the region’s most trusted responder and security partner.
Oman: A Western Anchor and a Voyage of Heritage
The week opened with the arrival of INS Sudarshini at Salalah on February 5, the first international leg of the Navy’s Lokayan 26 expedition—a ten-month journey designed to highlight India’s maritime traditions. Earlier, the sail-training vessel INSV Kaundinya had completed its maiden voyage to Muscat, adding to what officials describe as an enduring “bridge of friendship.”
Oman remains India’s most stable strategic partner in the western IOR. Beyond symbolism, cooperation has deepened around the Duqm Port agreement, a pact that gives India critical logistical access beyond the turbulence of the Strait of Hormuz. Joint exercises such as Naseem Al Bahr have evolved into broader defense industrial cooperation, anchored by a Joint Vision Document on Maritime Cooperation adopted in December 2025. The focus is clear: counter piracy, secure sea lines of communication, and support the blue economy.
Malaysia: Reinforcing the ASEAN Connection
As attention shifted eastward, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s February 8 visit to Kuala Lumpur marked a consolidation of India–Malaysia relations. The two countries had elevated their ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in August 2024, and the visit helped advance that framework further, in line with the ongoing Year of India–ASEAN Maritime Cooperation.
Indian naval deployments—including recent visits by INS Sahyadri and INS Sandhayak—have become more frequent, helping normalize operational coordination. Eleven new agreements, ranging from semiconductor supply chains to peacekeeping cooperation, underline a more technologically aligned partnership. For India, Malaysia is essential to safeguarding the Strait of Malacca, through which a quarter of global trade transits. Joint drills like Samudra Laksamana are now key to maintaining a rules-based maritime environment in the region.
All these steps built upon the updated Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Defence Cooperation signed in 2023. Following the elevation to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2024, the two nations formalised several high-level agreements to deepen industrial and operational ties. As a key member of ASEAN, Malaysia’s support is vital for India’s regional diplomatic initiatives and for counterbalancing growing hegemonic pressures in the South China Sea.
Seychelles: Expanding the Southern Security Arc
On February 9 came the most substantial announcement of the week: a $175 million special economic package for Seychelles. Following talks between Modi and President Patrick Herminie, both sides unveiled the “SESEL Joint Vision,” a roadmap centered on sustainability, economic resilience, and security.
In 2025, Seychelles joined the Colombo Security Conclave as a full member, integrating more closely with India’s broader regional security network. Over the years, India has supported the expansion of the island nation’s maritime capacity through the supply of radar systems, surveillance aircraft, and hydrographic assistance. For New Delhi, this remains a critical partnership in ensuring that the southern Indian Ocean stays free from destabilising strategic influence.
Sri Lanka: Humanitarian Support and Strategic Stability
The most emotional and effective display of this diplomacy remains India’s engagement with Sri Lanka. As the island nation celebrated its 78th Independence Day on 4 February, INS Gharial arrived in Colombo carrying ten Bailey bridges. The formal handover was conducted by India’s Acting High Commissioner on 5 February as part of assistance extended under Operation Sagar Bandhu.
Launched in late 2025 to assist with the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah, Operation Sagar Bandhu has become a defining example of Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR). India has undertaken several HADR missions in the past, such as Operation Rainbow in 2004, the deployment of INS Sutlej and INS Sunayna during the Cyclone Roanu floods in 2016, and the use of INS Kirch to deliver relief supplies to flood-hit areas in 2017.
India has become the principal training and equipment partner for the Sri Lankan Navy. This sustained support has helped preserve the neutrality of Sri Lankan waters and limited the influence of external powers seeking strategic footholds.
The Vision of SAGAR
What ties these disparate geographical points together is India’s doctrine of SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) and its newer, more inclusive iteration, MAHASAGAR. India is no longer just a participant in Indian Ocean security; it is increasingly shaping its direction.
The events of the last seven days demonstrate that India’s naval diplomacy is unique because it does not strip smaller nations of their sovereignty but is rooted in shared prosperity. As the Indian Navy prepares for MILAN 2026, the message is clear: the Indian Ocean is a bridge of cooperation, and the Indian Navy has firmly established itself as the bridge-builder-in-chief.
