IOS Sagar Makes Port Call at Colombo, Furthering India–Sri Lanka Maritime Cooperation

📌 Summary:

• Indian Ocean Ship (IOS) Sagar arrived at Colombo Harbour on 15 May 2026, escorted into harbour by a Sri Lanka Navy ship
• Crewed by personnel from 16 Friendly Foreign Countries (FFC) as part of ongoing IOR deployment
• 3-day port call aims to strengthen India–Sri Lanka maritime cooperation and reinforce the collaborative security architecture in the region
• Commanding Officer of IOS Sagar to call on senior leadership of Sri Lanka Navy — Commander Western Naval Area, Flag Officer Commanding Naval Fleet — and on Indian High Commissioner
• Multinational crew to participate in media interactions highlighting objectives of the IOS SAGAR 2026 deployment
• Friendly sports fixtures (volleyball, basketball) planned between Indian Navy and Sri Lanka Navy personnel
• Ship open to visitors during stay — SLN personnel, school children, Indian diaspora in Colombo
• Crew to undertake cultural visits to Colombo Port, Galle, Kandy and Pinnawala
• IOS Sagar departs Colombo on 18 May 2026 with a Passage Exercise (PASSEX) with Sri Lanka Navy
• Visit reflects India''s Neighbourhood First policy and SAGAR doctrine commitment to peace, stability and collective maritime security in the IOR

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS3 — Maritime Security; GS2 — Neighbourhood First policy and India–Sri Lanka relations.

📝 Prelims Facts:

• IOS = Indian Ocean Ship; IOS Sagar deployed with crew from 16 Friendly Foreign Countries
• PASSEX = Passage Exercise (a routine naval interoperability drill between two navies meeting at sea)
• SAGAR doctrine = Security and Growth for All in the Region; announced March 2015 in Mauritius by PM Modi
• Sri Lanka Navy is divided into Naval Areas; Western Naval Area covers Colombo
• IOR = Indian Ocean Region

🔑 Key Term: PASSEX (Passage Exercise) — A routine maritime exercise between two friendly navies whenever ships are operating in proximity, focused on basic seamanship, signalling, communication and interoperability drills.