INS Sunayna (IOS SAGAR) Departs Maldives After PASSEX, Strengthening India-Maldives Maritime Partnership

Key Insight

India’s naval outreach in Maldives bolsters Indian Ocean security and strategic foothold

Key Facts

1. INS Sunayna (IOS SAGAR) left Malé on 8 April 2026 after a PASSEX with MNDF Coast Guard vessel CGS Ghazee.
2. PASSEX (Passage Exercise) enhances interoperability for joint anti‑piracy, disaster‑relief and surveillance missions.
3. The ship’s multinational crew represented 16 friendly countries, showcasing India’s multilateral maritime diplomacy.
4. Key meetings: Commander Siddharth Chaudhary (CO INS Sunayna), Major General Ibrahim Hilmy (Chief of Defence Force, MNDF), Brigadier General Mohamed Saleem (Coast Guard Commandant).
5. The exercise aligns with India’s ‘Act East’ and ‘Neighbourhood First’ policies to safeguard sea‑lines of communication in the Indian Ocean Region.
6. Maldives sits on the critical maritime corridor linking the Middle East, Africa and Southeast Asia, vital for India’s energy imports and trade.
7. The visit was organised under the aegis of the Ministry of Defence as part of the Indian Navy’s offshore patrol vessel deployment for maritime security and diplomatic outreach.

Background

Maritime diplomacy forms a core component of India’s external security strategy, linking the Polity syllabus (naval cooperation, defence ministries) with International Relations (regional security architecture). Strengthening ties with the Maldives—strategically located on the busy India‑Middle East‑Southeast Asia sea lane—helps India secure its energy imports, counter non‑traditional threats and project influence in the Indian Ocean Region.

UPSC Syllabus

• GS3 — Various security forces and agencies

Mains Angle

GS3 (International Relations) – Discuss how India’s naval diplomacy, exemplified by the INS Sunayna‑MNDF PASSEX, advances regional security and aligns with the ‘Act East’ and ‘Neighbourhood First’ doctrines.