INS Sudarshini hosts 500+ Indian diaspora at Oman's Salalah during Lokayan-26 voyage
Synopsis
INS Sudarshini, India's premier sail training ship, turned a Salalah port call into a diaspora moment — welcoming over 500 Indian-origin visitors, including schoolchildren, aboard a vessel that has already crossed the Atlantic, navigated the Suez Canal, and logged 10,000-plus nautical miles on a 22,000-mile, 13-country Lokayan-26 expedition.
Key Takeaways
INS Sudarshini welcomed more than 500 Indian diaspora members , including students and teachers from Indian School Salalah , during a port call in Salalah, Oman on 16 October 2026 .
The visit is part of the Lokayan-26 transoceanic expedition, which began in Kochi on 20 January and covers approximately 22,000 nautical miles across 18 ports in 13 countries .
INS Sudarshini completed the historic first Atlantic crossing , arriving at Antigua on 27 May after a 19-day passage from Cape Verde .
The ship has traversed the Arabian Sea , Red Sea , Mediterranean Sea , the Suez Canal , and participated in France's Escale à Sète maritime festival .
The Ministry of Defence described the expedition as embodying Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam and the MAHASAGAR vision of regional maritime cooperation.
Indian Navy's sail training ship INS Sudarshini welcomed more than 500 members of the Indian diaspora on board during its port call at Salalah, Oman, including children and teachers from Indian School Salalah, the Indian Embassy in Muscat announced on 16 October 2026. The visit forms part of the ship's ongoing Lokayan-26 transoceanic expedition, which is covering roughly 22,000 nautical miles across 18 ports in 13 countries.
What Happened During the Salalah Visit
The crew of INS Sudarshini gave visiting diaspora members a firsthand introduction to life aboard a sail ship, showcasing the routines and demands of deep-sea seamanship. According to the Indian Embassy's post on X, the crew also shared experiences from the ongoing expedition, giving visitors a window into the realities of transoceanic sailing.
'The visit instilled a sense of pride among the visiting diaspora about the growing capabilities and widely-reckoned seafaring tradition of the Indian Navy,' the Embassy stated.
The Scale of Lokayan-26
The 10-month Lokayan-26 expedition commenced from Kochi on 20 January, charting an ambitious route across some of the world's most storied waterways. Since departing, the three-masted barque has navigated the Arabian Sea, the Red Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea, completed a transit of the Suez Canal, and participated in France's prestigious Escale à Sète maritime festival.
The ship also completed what is described as the historic first Atlantic crossing for INS Sudarshini, arriving at Antigua on 27 May after a 19-day passage from Cape Verde — by which point the vessel had already logged 10,000 nautical miles since leaving Kochi. It subsequently sailed to the Azores and Portugal before heading back through the Mediterranean.
Training and Seamanship Exposure
Throughout the voyage, trainees on board have accumulated extensive hands-on experience in long-range ocean navigation, open-sea manoeuvring, sail handling, and traditional seamanship. The Mediterranean leg, in particular, provided challenging conditions that tested and sharpened these competencies, according to the Ministry of Defence.
Last month, the ship departed Alexandria, Egypt, after a port call that included cross-training exercises with the Egyptian Navy, professional interactions, and cultural exchanges — a recurring feature of the expedition's diplomatic footprint.
Diplomatic and Strategic Significance
The Ministry of Defence described Lokayan-26 as a reflection of the Indian Navy's 'continued commitment to professional training, maritime outreach and strengthening bonds of friendship and cooperation with partner nations.' The ship has been positioned as a 'floating ambassador' of India's seafaring heritage, carrying the philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam and the vision of MAHASAGAR — Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions — across the world's oceans.
With several ports still to visit before the expedition concludes, INS Sudarshini's journey is expected to deepen India's maritime partnerships and inspire the next generation of naval professionals.
Point of View
Threading India's naval flag through 13 countries at a time when New Delhi is aggressively expanding its Indian Ocean and Atlantic partnerships. The MAHASAGAR framing signals that the Navy is now explicitly linking seamanship training to India's broader regional security doctrine. What is less examined is whether such goodwill visits translate into durable maritime cooperation or remain primarily ceremonial — the answer will matter as India seeks to counter rival naval presences across the Indo-Pacific.
NationPress
16 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Lokayan-26 expedition?
Lokayan-26 is a 10-month transoceanic expedition by the Indian Navy's sail training ship INS Sudarshini, which commenced from Kochi on 20 January 2026. The voyage covers approximately 22,000 nautical miles across 18 ports in 13 countries, combining professional naval training with maritime diplomacy and diaspora outreach.
Why did INS Sudarshini visit Salalah in Oman?
Salalah is one of 18 scheduled port calls on the Lokayan-26 route. During the stop, the ship hosted over 500 members of the Indian diaspora, including schoolchildren, as part of its outreach mission to strengthen ties with Indian communities and partner nations abroad.
What is the significance of the Atlantic crossing by INS Sudarshini?
INS Sudarshini's Atlantic crossing was described as a historic first for the vessel, with the ship arriving at Antigua on 27 May 2026 after a 19-day passage from Cape Verde. By that point, the ship had already logged 10,000 nautical miles since departing Kochi, marking a milestone in the expedition.
What is MAHASAGAR and how does it relate to Lokayan-26?
MAHASAGAR stands for Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions — India's framework for maritime cooperation with regional partners. The Ministry of Defence cited it as a guiding vision for Lokayan-26, positioning INS Sudarshini as a diplomatic vessel carrying India's message of maritime friendship alongside its training mandate.
What training have naval trainees received during Lokayan-26?
Trainees have gained hands-on experience in long-range ocean navigation, open-sea manoeuvring, sail handling, and traditional seamanship across multiple sea environments — the Arabian Sea, Red Sea, Mediterranean, and the Atlantic Ocean. The expedition also included cross-training with the Egyptian Navy during the Alexandria port call.
