Indian Navy's First Training Squadron arrives in Colombo, Sri Lanka Navy rolls out ceremonial welcome
Synopsis
India's First Training Squadron — INS Tir, INS Sujata, and ICGS Sarathi — has completed a sweeping Indian Ocean arc: Seychelles, Maldives, and now Colombo, each stop pairing naval training with diplomatic signalling. The deployment operationalises New Delhi's MAHASAGAR vision and comes at a moment when India's maritime neighbourhood is under close strategic watch.
Key Takeaways
INS Tir , INS Sujata , and ICGS Sarathi arrived in Colombo on 27 October 2026 for a ceremonial port call with the Sri Lanka Navy .
The Director General of Naval Training and the Commander, Eastern Naval Area, Sri Lanka Navy , interacted with sea trainees aboard the visiting ships.
Prior to Colombo, the squadron conducted a PASSEX with the MNDF Coast Guard in the Maldives , concluded on 24 October .
The Seychelles leg at Port Victoria ran from 12 to 15 October , including a PASSEX with Seychelles Coast Guard ship Andromache .
The deployment advances India's MAHASAGAR vision of mutual security and growth across Indian Ocean regions.
Ships of the Indian Navy's First Training Squadron (1TS) — comprising INS Tir, INS Sujata, and Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Sarathi — arrived in Colombo on Tuesday, 27 October 2026, as part of their ongoing training deployment, receiving a ceremonial welcome from the Sri Lanka Navy. The port call marks the latest stop in a multi-nation Indian Ocean deployment that has already taken the squadron through Seychelles and the Maldives.
Engagements in Colombo
During the port call, senior officers from the Sri Lanka Navy interacted with sea trainees aboard the visiting ships. According to the Indian Navy, the Director General of Naval Training and the Commander, Eastern Naval Area, Sri Lanka Navy, held professional interactions with the trainees, underscoring the educational as well as diplomatic character of the deployment.
Maldives Leg: PASSEX with MNDF Coast Guard
Prior to the Colombo call, the 1TS ships concluded their training and military engagement in the Maldives, which included a Passage Exercise (PASSEX) with the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) Coast Guard. The High Commission of India in Malé described the engagement on 24 October as 'highly productive', noting it reinforced the enduring maritime partnership between the two neighbouring nations.
Seychelles Port Call at Port Victoria
Before the Maldives, the squadron concluded a port visit at Port Victoria, Seychelles, from 12 to 15 October. During that stop, the Senior Officer of 1TS and the Commanding Officers of the visiting ships called on Major General Michael Rosette, Chief of Defence Forces of the Seychelles Defence Force (SDF). Discussions centred on bilateral cooperation and the enduring partnership between the two forces. The squadron also conducted a PASSEX with Seychelles Coast Guard ship Andromache, featuring joint patrolling, communication drills, and coordinated manoeuvres.
MAHASAGAR Vision and Strategic Context
The deployment is framed under India's MAHASAGAR vision — an acronym for Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions — which reflects New Delhi's strategic push to deepen maritime partnerships across the Indian Ocean Region. This comes amid growing attention to naval presence and capacity building in a sea-lane that carries the bulk of India's trade. The training squadron's multi-country arc — Seychelles, Maldives, Sri Lanka — traces India's core Indian Ocean neighbourhood, signalling sustained diplomatic and defence engagement.
The deployment is expected to continue, with further port calls potentially on the horizon as the squadron completes its training cycle.
Point of View
Maldives, Sri Lanka — each a country where China has, at various points, sought to expand maritime influence. India is not just training its cadets; it is signalling continuity of presence. The MAHASAGAR framing also gives New Delhi a multilateral cover for what is, in effect, a bilateral neighbourhood-management strategy, one that critics argue needs to be matched with more durable capacity-building commitments rather than periodic port calls.
NationPress
27 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Which ships are part of the Indian Navy's First Training Squadron currently deployed?
The First Training Squadron (1TS) comprises INS Tir , INS Sujata , and Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Sarathi . The three ships have been on a training deployment that has covered Seychelles, the Maldives, and most recently Colombo, Sri Lanka.
What is the purpose of the Indian Navy's First Training Squadron deployment?
The deployment serves a dual purpose: providing sea training to naval cadets aboard the ships, and strengthening maritime partnerships with Indian Ocean nations. Each port call includes professional interactions, joint exercises, and senior-level diplomatic engagements.
What is MAHASAGAR and how does this deployment relate to it?
MAHASAGAR stands for Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions — India's strategic vision for Indian Ocean cooperation. The 1TS deployment is explicitly framed under this vision, with the Ministry of Defence citing it as an example of India's commitment to capacity building and regional partnerships.
What exercises did the Indian Navy conduct with the Maldives and Seychelles?
The squadron conducted a Passage Exercise (PASSEX) with the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) Coast Guard before arriving in Sri Lanka. Earlier, it conducted a PASSEX with Seychelles Coast Guard ship Andromache during the Port Victoria port call from 12 to 15 October, featuring joint patrolling, communication drills, and coordinated manoeuvres.
What did the Indian Navy post about the Colombo arrival?
The Indian Navy posted on X: 'Anchoring Friendship, Strengthening Maritime Cooperation. Ships of the Indian Navy's First Training Squadron (1TS) — INS Tir, INS Sujata and ICGS Sarathi — arrived at Colombo to a ceremonial welcome from the Sri Lanka Navy.' It added that senior Sri Lanka Navy officers interacted with sea trainees onboard.
