INS Sunayna departs Chattogram after IOS Sagar maritime drills with Bangladesh Navy
Synopsis
INS Sunayna's Chattogram port call was more than a courtesy visit — it was a multilateral signal. With personnel from 16 nations onboard and a PASSEX conducted on departure, IOS SAGAR is fast becoming India's most visible instrument for building Indian Ocean coalitions under the MAHASAGAR framework.
Key Takeaways
INS Sunayna , under the IOS SAGAR initiative, departed Chattogram on 10 May after arriving on 8 May via the Bay of Bengal.
The Commanding Officer met senior Bangladesh Navy officials including COMBAN and COMCHIT to strengthen bilateral maritime cooperation.
A Passage Exercise (PASSEX) was conducted with BNS Protoy on departure, featuring coordinated drills and surface manoeuvres.
Personnel from 16 partner nations are embarked onboard IOS Sagar during this deployment.
The ship's next port of call is Colombo, Sri Lanka , continuing India's Indian Ocean regional engagement.
The visit is framed as a manifestation of India's Neighbourhood First policy and the MAHASAGAR initiative.
INS Sunayna, deployed under the Indian Ocean Ship (IOS) SAGAR initiative, departed Chattogram, Bangladesh on 10 May following a successful port call that included professional naval engagements, maritime cooperation exercises, and cultural exchanges with the Bangladesh Navy, according to India's Ministry of Defence. The visit, which began on 8 May after a transit through the Bay of Bengal, reinforced bilateral maritime ties under India's Neighbourhood First policy.
Key Engagements During the Port Call
During the visit, the Commanding Officer of IOS Sagar called on senior Bangladesh Navy officials, including the Commander Bangladesh Naval Fleet (COMBAN) and the Commander Chattogram Naval Area (COMCHIT), to strengthen bilateral maritime cooperation and regional maritime objectives. A deck reception hosted onboard the ship brought together senior leadership of the Bangladesh Navy, while the visiting crew also attended a reciprocal reception hosted by the Bangladesh Navy.
Professional interactions included cross-deck visits and exchanges of best practices between personnel of both navies. The crew also visited the Bangladesh Naval Academy, interacting with officer cadets and faculty members. Friendly sporting activities and cultural engagements further enhanced mutual understanding and camaraderie between the two navies, the Ministry's statement noted.
Passage Exercise with BNS Protoy
On departure from Chattogram, IOS Sagar participated in a Passage Exercise (PASSEX) with Bangladesh's naval vessel BNS Protoy, along with other naval air assets. The exercise included coordinated maritime drills and advanced surface manoeuvres aimed at enhancing interoperability and operational cooperation between the two navies. This comes amid a broader push by India to deepen maritime security partnerships across the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
India's Strategic Maritime Framework
The Indian High Commission in Bangladesh described IOS Sagar's presence in Chattogram as
Point of View
Substantive enough to build real interoperability. The inclusion of personnel from 16 partner nations elevates this beyond a bilateral exercise into a mini-coalition framework. What deserves closer scrutiny is the timing: India's naval outreach to Bangladesh comes even as bilateral ties navigate post-political-transition sensitivities in Dhaka. That the visit proceeded smoothly and generated a formal PASSEX suggests the two navies are insulating operational ties from political turbulence — a maturity that policymakers on both sides would do well to protect.
NationPress
9 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the IOS SAGAR initiative?
IOS SAGAR stands for Indian Ocean Ship — Security and Growth for All in the Region, an Indian Navy deployment initiative aimed at strengthening maritime cooperation with Indian Ocean littoral states. INS Sunayna is currently deployed under this initiative, carrying personnel from 16 partner nations.
What did INS Sunayna do during its Chattogram port call?
INS Sunayna visited Chattogram from 8 to 10 May, during which its Commanding Officer met senior Bangladesh Navy officials, crew members visited the Bangladesh Naval Academy, and professional cross-deck exchanges and cultural activities were held. On departure, a Passage Exercise (PASSEX) was conducted with BNS Protoy.
What is a Passage Exercise (PASSEX)?
A PASSEX is a short-duration naval exercise conducted as a ship departs a port, typically involving coordinated drills and surface manoeuvres to enhance interoperability. The PASSEX between IOS Sagar and BNS Protoy included advanced surface manoeuvres and naval air asset coordination.
What is India's MAHASAGAR initiative?
MAHASAGAR stands for Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions, an Indian policy framework for deepening maritime cooperation across the Indian Ocean Region. The IOS SAGAR deployment is described as a practical manifestation of this initiative alongside India's Neighbourhood First policy.
Where is INS Sunayna headed next?
After departing Chattogram on 10 May, INS Sunayna is en route to Colombo, Sri Lanka, which is its next designated port of call as part of the ongoing IOS SAGAR regional deployment.
