<h3>Overview</h3> <p>The Indian Navy’s <span class="key-term" data-definition="INS Sunayna – A modern Indian Navy warship deployed under the Indian Ocean Ship (IOS) SAGAR initiative; its operations illustrate India’s maritime outreach (GS2: Polity)">INS Sunayna</span> arrived at Malé on <strong>06 Apr 2026</strong>, marking the first port‑call of its operational deployment. The visit underscores deepening maritime cooperation between India and the Maldives and showcases the broader <span class="key-term" data-definition="IOS SAGAR – Indian Ocean Ship (IOS) SAGAR, a diplomatic‑military outreach programme aimed at enhancing maritime security and capacity building in the Indian Ocean Region (GS3: Security)">IOS SAGAR</span> initiative, which involves crews from 16 friendly foreign countries.</p> <h3>Key Developments</h3> <ul> <li>Warm reception by the <span class="key-term" data-definition="MNDF – Maldives National Defence Force, the armed forces of Maldives responsible for maritime security and defence (GS2: Polity)">MNDF</span>, with two of its personnel serving on the multinational crew.</li> <li>Intensive training on seamanship, small‑arms firing and damage‑control drills conducted en route, highlighting collective readiness.</li> <li>High Commissioner <strong>Shri G. Balasubramanian</strong> visited the ship, fostering diplomatic and people‑to‑people ties.</li> <li>Planned sporting and cultural exchanges, followed by a <span class="key-term" data-definition="PASSEX – Passage Exercise, a short‑duration joint drill between navies to improve interoperability and tactical coordination (GS3: Security)">PASSEX</span> with the MNDF Coast Guard after departure.</li> <li>Flag‑off from Mumbai on <strong>02 Apr 2026</strong> by Defence Minister <strong>Shri Sanjay Seth</strong>, reflecting the ‘One Ocean, One Mission’ vision.</li> </ul> <h3>Important Facts</h3> <ul> <li>Deployment area: South‑East Indian Ocean Region, a strategic maritime corridor linking Asia, Africa and the Middle East.</li> <li>Policy backdrop: <span class="key-term" data-definition="Neighbourhood First – India’s foreign‑policy doctrine prioritising engagement with immediate neighbours to ensure regional stability (GS2: Polity)">Neighbourhood First</span> and the <span class="key-term" data-definition="MAHASAGAR – Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions, a vision for collaborative development across the Indian Ocean (GS2: Polity)">MAHASAGAR</span> concept.</li> <li>International crew composition: personnel from 16 friendly foreign countries, enhancing diplomatic outreach.</li> </ul> <h3>UPSC Relevance</h3> <p>The episode illustrates several themes relevant to the UPSC syllabus: (i) India’s maritime strategy and its role in the <span class="key-term" data-definition="Indian Ocean Region – A geopolitically vital sea‑lane encompassing South Asia, East Africa and the Indo‑Pacific, crucial for trade and security (GS3: Security)">Indian Ocean Region</span></p>