INS Sagardhwani Arrives at Port Klang, Malaysia

📌 Summary:

• INS Sagardhwani — Indian Navy''s oceanographic research vessel — arrived at Port Klang, Malaysia on 13 May 2026 as part of her South East Asia deployment
• Welcomed on arrival by personnel of the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN)
• 2-day visit includes professional interactions, training exchanges, cross-deck visits, and Subject Matter Expert Exchanges (SMEE)
• Activities aimed at enhancing bilateral maritime cooperation, strengthening scientific (oceanographic) collaboration, and fostering interoperability and mutual understanding between Indian Navy and RMN
• Marks INS Sagardhwani''s return to Port Klang following her earlier scientific deployment in 2019
• Port call highlights growing maritime partnership between India and Malaysia
• Visit aligns with India''s Act East policy and SAGAR doctrine in the IOR

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS3 — Maritime Security; Oceanography; GS2 — Act East policy and India–Malaysia ties.

📝 Prelims Facts:

• INS Sagardhwani = oceanographic research vessel of the Indian Navy
• Operated by Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL), DRDO, Kochi
• Port Klang = principal commercial port of Malaysia, located on the Strait of Malacca
• Last port call of INS Sagardhwani at Port Klang: 2019
• SMEE = Subject Matter Expert Exchange

🔑 Key Term: Subject Matter Expert Exchange (SMEE) — A bilateral defence engagement format in which specialists from both forces share domain expertise (oceanography, anti-submarine warfare, hydrography, etc.) to build interoperability and mutual understanding.